The effects of multi-directional, high intensity exercise on the vestibular/ocular motor screening (VOMS) assessment in recreational athletes.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Identify the effects of multi-directional, high intensity exercise on VOMS symptom scores in male and female recreational, college-aged athletes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Athletic Therapy facility. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 29 (15 females, 14 males; 21.48 ± 1.40 years old) healthy recreational athletes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: VOMS symptom scores pre, immediately post-, and 10 min post a multidirectional, high intensity intermittent exercise protocol (HIIP). Friedman tests and Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests identified significant differences at the time points. A Mann-Whitney U Test investigated the effect of sex. RESULTS: The majority of component and overall VOMS symptom scores increased post-HIIP (p < 0.001-0.007, effect sizes 0.39-0.50) and 10 min post-HIIP (p = 0.003-0.015, effect sizes 0.32-0.39). Near point convergence distance increased immediately post-HIIP (p < 0.001, effect size 0.52). Females had higher smooth pursuits (z = -2.340, p = 0.019, r = 0.31), vertical vestibular ocular reflex (z = -2.81, p = 0.04, r = 0.39) visual motion sensitivity (z = -2.312, p = 0.021 r = 0.30) and overall VOMS symptom scores (z = -2.84, p = 0.04, r = 0.27) 10 min post-HIIP. CONCLUSIONS: Multidirectional, high intensity exercise can induce concussive-like changes in VOMS symptom scores in healthy, recreational athletes, particularly in females. These results may assist in SRC assessment and management of athletes involved in multidirectional, high intensity sports.