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Dynamic balance deficits in individuals with chronic ankle instability compared to ankle sprain copers 1 year after a first-time lateral ankle sprain injury

  • Ankle
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy

Abstract

Purpose

To quantify the dynamic balance deficits that characterise a group with chronic ankle instability compared to lateral ankle sprain copers and non-injured controls using kinematic and kinetic outcomes.

Methods

Forty-two participants with chronic ankle instability and twenty-eight lateral ankle sprain copers were initially recruited within 2 weeks of sustaining a first-time, acute lateral ankle sprain and required to attend our laboratory 1 year later to complete the current study protocol. An additional group of non-injured individuals were also recruited to act as a control group. All participants completed the anterior, posterior-lateral and posterior-medial reach directions of the star excursion balance test. Sagittal plane kinematics of the lower extremity and associated fractal dimension of the centre of pressure path were also acquired.

Results

Participants with chronic ankle instability displayed poorer performance in the anterior, posterior-medial and posterior-lateral reach directions compared with controls bilaterally, and in the posterior-lateral direction compared with lateral ankle sprain copers on their ‘involved’ limb only. These performance deficits in the posterior-lateral and posterior-medial directions were associated with reduced flexion and dorsiflexion displacements at the hip, knee and ankle at the point of maximum reach, and coincided with reduced complexity of the centre of pressure path.

Conclusion

In comparison with lateral ankle sprain copers and controls, participants with chronic ankle instability were characterised by dynamic balance deficits as measured using the SEBT. This was attested to reduced sagittal plane motions at the hip, knee and ankle joints, and reduced capacity of the stance limb to avail of its supporting base.

Level of evidence

III.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Health Research Board (HRA_POR/2011/46). There were no conflicts of interest to report.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. A101 School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science, University College Dublin, Health Sciences Centre, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Cailbhe Doherty, Brian Caulfield & Eamonn Delahunt

  2. Institute for Sport and Health, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Eamonn Delahunt

  3. Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute, Ulster Sports Academy, University of Ulster, Newtownabbey, Co., Antrim, Northern Ireland

    Chris Bleakley

  4. Department of Kinesiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

    Jay Hertel

  5. St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

    John Ryan

Authors
  1. Cailbhe Doherty
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  2. Chris Bleakley
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  4. Brian Caulfield
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Correspondence to Cailbhe Doherty.

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Doherty, C., Bleakley, C., Hertel, J. et al. Dynamic balance deficits in individuals with chronic ankle instability compared to ankle sprain copers 1 year after a first-time lateral ankle sprain injury. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 24, 1086–1095 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-015-3744-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-015-3744-z

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