King-Devick Test for Concussion

We assessed 10 youth football players (13.4 + 0.7 y) immediately before and after their season to explore the effects of football participation on selected clinical measures of neurologic function. Postseason postural stability in a closed-eye condition was improved compared to preseason (P 1⁄4 .017). Neurocognitive testing with the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) battery revealed that reaction time was significantly faster at postseason (P 1⁄4 .015). There were no significant preseason versus postseason differences in verbal memory (P 1⁄4 .507), visual memory (P 1⁄4 .750), or visual motor speed (P 1⁄4 .087). Oculomotor performance assessed by the King-Devick test was moderately to significantly improved (P 1⁄4 .047-.115). A 12-week season of youth football did not impair the postural stability, neurocognitive function, or oculomotor performance measures of the players evaluated. Though encouraging, continued and more comprehensive investigations of this at-risk population are warranted. Ann Intern Med. 2014 Feb; 160(3):ITC2-1-1. In the Clinic: Concussion Master CL, Balcer LJ, Collins M "For the oculomotor examination, an additional test that may be used is the King– Devick test, which is a tool that rapidly assesses eye movement and can be used in the office or on the sideline to determine impairment in eye movements associated with an acute concussion. This has been found to be potentially useful as a tool to determine removal from play. The 1-minute test involves reading single digits displayed on cards; any slowing of time to complete the test, ideally compared with the athlete’s baseline, is suggestive of concussion." Sports-Related Concussions in Youth: Improving the Science, Changing the Culture. Institute of Medicine (US), National Research Council (US). Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2013. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Sports-Related Concussions in Youth: Improving the Science, Changing