Title | Balance deficits in recreational athletes with chronic ankle instability. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2007 |
Authors | Brown, CN, Mynark, R |
Journal | J Athl Train |
Volume | 42 |
Issue | 3 |
Pagination | 367-73 |
Date Published | 2007 Jul-Sep |
ISSN | 1938-162X |
Keywords | Adolescent, Adult, Ankle Injuries, Athletic Injuries, Case-Control Studies, Chronic Disease, Electric Stimulation, Female, Humans, Joint Instability, Male, Postural Balance, Proprioception, Sensation Disorders, Tibial Nerve |
Abstract | CONTEXT: Deficits in static and dynamic stability during single-leg stance have been noted in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI), but few investigators have tested subjects for subtle deficits in dynamic balance. Subtle deficits in dynamic balance during a double-leg stance may reveal changes in the sensorimotor system because of CAI. OBJECTIVE: To use a standardized tibial nerve stimulation as a perturbation to test for dynamic balance deficits between a group of recreational athletes with CAI and a group of recreational athletes with stable ankles. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: Laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Twenty recreational athletes with CAI and 20 recreational athletes with stable ankles. INTERVENTION(S): Balance deficits were assessed for each subject during static and dynamic trials. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Time to stabilization and center-of-pressure excursion path length, velocity, and area from ground reaction forces during double-leg stance were collected through a forceplate. We used an accelerometer to measure tibial acceleration. Data were collected during static stance and during a bilateral perturbation using maximal motor neuron recruitment elicited by electric stimulation of the tibial nerve. RESULTS: Only time to stabilization in the anterior-posterior direction was significantly different between groups ( P = .04), with the CAI group taking longer to return to a stable range of ground reaction forces. We found no other differences in stability measures between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic balance in double-leg stance as measured by time to stabilization appears to be affected in individuals with CAI. Deficits in the response to external perturbation may indicate subtle central sensorimotor changes. |
Alternate Journal | J Athl Train |
PubMed ID | 18059992 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC1978474 |