|
Affiliation
|
School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. |
|
Abstract
|
Study Design Controlled laboratory study.
OBJECTIVE To utilize kinematic and stabilometric measures to compare dynamic balance during performance of the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) between persons 6-months post first-time lateral ankle sprain (LAS) and a non-injured control group. Background Biomechanical evaluation of dynamic balance in persons following first-time LAS during SEBT performance could provide insight into the mechanism(s) by which individuals proceed to recover fully, or develop chronic ankle instability.
METHODS Sagittal-plane kinematics of the lower extremity and the center of pressure (COP) path during the performance of the anterior (ANT), posterior-lateral (PL) and posterior-medial (PM) reach directions of the SEBT were obtained from 69 participants, 6 months following first-time acute LAS. Data also were obtained from 20 non-injured controls.
RESULTS The LAS group displayed lower normalized reach distances in all 3 reach directions compared to control participants on their injured and non-injured limbs with the largest observed effect size in the PL direction (p = 0.001, ηp(2) = 0.07). The performance impairment was associated with less hip and knee flexion and ankle dorsiflexion at the point of maximum reach (p<0.02) for all 3 reach directions, and coincided with less complexity of the COP path (p<0.05) in the PL direction only.
CONCLUSION Participants with a 6-month history of LAS exhibit persistence of deficits previously established in the acute phase of injury. Level of Evidence Level 4. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, Epub 24 Jun 2015. doi:10.2519/jospt.2015.5653.
Language: en |