TY - JOUR PY - 2015// TI - Dynamic balance deficits 6 months following first-time acute lateral ankle sprain: a laboratory analysis JO - Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy A1 - Doherty, Cailbhe A1 - Bleakley, Chris A1 - Hertel, Jay A1 - Caulfield, Brian A1 - Ryan, John A1 - Delahunt, Eamonn SP - 626 EP - 633 VL - 45 IS - 8 N2 - 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

LA - en SN - 0190-6011 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2015.5653 ID - ref1 ER -