Ankle function during hopping in subjects with functional instability of the ankle joint

A common mechanism of inversion injury involves a lateral movement producing a hypersupination of the ankle joint. To date, no study has investigated patterns of muscle activity, three‐dimensional (3D) joint kinematics and kinetics simultaneously in a group of subjects with functional instability (FI) compared with a non‐injured control group during a lateral hopping test. Twenty‐six subjects with the subjective complaint of FI of the ankle joint and 24 non‐injured healthy control subjects volunteered to participate in the study. We measured 3D lower limb kinematics, kinetics and surface electromyography (EMG) of the rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, peroneus longus and soleus muscle in all subjects during a lateral hop task for the period 200 ms pre‐ and post‐initial contact (IC). FI subjects were observed to have a less‐everted position of the ankle joint during the time period from 45 ms pre‐IC to 95 ms post‐IC (P<0.05). FI subjects were also found to have an increase in pre‐ and post‐IC rectus femoris, tibialis anterior and solues EMG activity. The results suggest that subjects with FI exhibit changes in ankle joint movement and neuromuscular control that could predispose to further injury.

[1]  S. E. Ross,et al.  Single-leg jump-landing stabilization times in subjects with functionally unstable ankles. , 2005, Journal of athletic training.

[2]  J. Cox,et al.  The natural history of inadequately treated ankle sprain , 1977, The American journal of sports medicine.

[3]  Eiichi Uchiyama,et al.  An in vitro study of individual ankle muscle actions on the center of pressure. , 2003, Gait & posture.

[4]  R. Stoeckart,et al.  Repeated ankle sprains and delayed neuromuscular response: acceleration time parameters. , 2006, The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy.

[5]  S. Hurwitz,et al.  Functional-Performance Deficits in Volunteers With Functional Ankle Instability. , 2005, Journal of athletic training.

[6]  J. Hertel.  Functional Anatomy, Pathomechanics, and Pathophysiology of Lateral Ankle Instability. , 2002, Journal of athletic training.

[7]  Brian Caulfield,et al.  Increasing the number of gait trial recordings maximises intra-rater reliability of the CODA motion analysis system. , 2007, Gait & posture.

[8]  C. Nester,et al.  Effect of foot orthoses on the kinematics and kinetics of normal walking gait. , 2003, Gait & posture.

[9]  R. Newton,et al.  Evaluation of kinesthetic deficits indicative of balance control in gymnasts with unilateral chronic ankle sprains. , 1996, The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy.

[10]  W. Duquet,et al.  Control of acceleration during sudden ankle supination in people with unstable ankles. , 2001, The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy.

[11]  S. Kilbreath,et al.  The effect of recurrent ankle inversion sprain and taping on proprioception at the ankle. , 2000, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[12]  Raymond Y. W. Lee,et al.  Eccentric muscle strength in functional ankle instability. , 2003, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[13]  J. Karlsson,et al.  The effect of external ankle support in chronic lateral ankle joint instability. An electromyographic study. , 1992, The American journal of sports medicine.

[14]  O. S. Staples,et al.  Residual disability following acute ankle sprains. , 1955, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume.

[15]  M T Gross,et al.  Effects of recurrent lateral ankle sprains on active and passive judgements of joint position. , 1987, Physical therapy.

[16]  G. Wilkerson,et al.  Invertor vs. evertor peak torque and power deficiencies associated with lateral ankle ligament injury. , 1997, The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy.

[17]  S M Lephart,et al.  The effect of sudden inversion stress on EMG activity of the peroneal and tibialis anterior muscles in the chronically unstable ankle. , 1997, The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy.

[18]  A. Nitz,et al.  Nerve injury and Grades II and III ankle sprains , 1985, The American journal of sports medicine.

[19]  L. Konradsen,et al.  Ankle instability caused by prolonged peroneal reaction time. , 1990, Acta orthopaedica Scandinavica.

[20]  H. Hermens,et al.  European recommendations for surface electromyography: Results of the SENIAM Project , 1999 .

[21]  H Tropp,et al.  The Incidence of Ankle Sprains in Soccer , 1990, Foot & ankle.

[22]  A A Vandervoort,et al.  Peak passive resistive torque at maximum inversion range of motion in subjects with recurrent ankle inversion sprains. , 1997, The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy.

[23]  L. Ryan.  Mechanical stability, muscle strength and proprioception in the functionally unstable ankle. , 1994, The Australian journal of physiotherapy.

[24]  L. McGuire,et al.  The contributions of proprioceptive deficits, muscle function, and anatomic laxity to functional instability of the ankle. , 1995, The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy.

[25]  S N Garn,et al.  Kinesthetic awareness in subjects with multiple ankle sprains. , 1988, Physical therapy.

[26]  D H Perrin,et al.  Eversion strength analysis of uninjured and functionally unstable ankles. , 1999, Journal of athletic training.

[27]  Scott M Lephart,et al.  Sensorimotor system measurement techniques. , 2002, Journal of athletic training.

[28]  R. D'ambrosia,et al.  The synergistic action of the anterior cruciate ligament and thigh muscles in maintaining joint stability , 1987, The American journal of sports medicine.

[29]  M. R. Walters,et al.  The Relationship between Muscle Function and Ankle Stability. , 1990, The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy.

[30]  J. Boyle,et al.  Joint position sense in the recurrently sprained ankle. , 1998, The Australian journal of physiotherapy.

[31]  J. Hertel,et al.  Functional Instability Following Lateral Ankle Sprain , 2000, Sports medicine.

[32]  Marco Santello,et al.  Review of motor control mechanisms underlying impact absorption from falls. , 2005, Gait & posture.

[33]  Peter Vaes,et al.  Peroneal Reaction Times and Eversion Motor Response in Healthy and Unstable Ankles. , 2002, Journal of athletic training.

[34]  The Role of Ankle Strength in Functional Ankle Instability , 1997 .

[35]  K. M. Chan,et al.  An epidemiological survey on ankle sprain. , 1994, British journal of sports medicine.

[36]  T. Kaminski,et al.  Kinesthesia Is Not Affected by Functional Ankle Instability Status. , 2002, Journal of athletic training.

[37]  H Tropp,et al.  Stabilometry Recordings in Functional and Mechanical Instability of the Ankle Joint , 1985, International journal of sports medicine.

[38]  M. Garrett,et al.  Functional Instability of the Ankle: Differences in Patterns of Ankle and Knee Movement Prior To and Post Landing in a Single Leg Jump , 2002, International journal of sports medicine.

[39]  Jay Hertel,et al.  Deficits in time-to-boundary measures of postural control with chronic ankle instability. , 2007, Gait & posture.

[40]  J Kärrholm,et al.  Prolonged Reaction Time in Patients with Chronic Lateral Instability of the Ankle , 1995, The American journal of sports medicine.

[41]  Jay Hertel,et al.  The Effects of Fatigue and Chronic Ankle Instability on Dynamic Postural Control. , 2010, Journal of athletic training.

[42]  D H Perrin,et al.  Effect of unilateral functional instability of the ankle on postural sway and inversion and eversion strength. , 1997, Journal of athletic training.

[43]  J. Ashton-Miller,et al.  What Best Protects the Inverted Weightbearing Ankle Against Further Inversion? , 1996, The American journal of sports medicine.

[44]  H. Tropp.  Commentary: Functional Ankle Instability Revisited. , 2002, Journal of athletic training.

[45]  J. Hertel,et al.  Efficacy of the Star Excursion Balance Tests in Detecting Reach Deficits in Subjects With Chronic Ankle Instability. , 2002, Journal of athletic training.