Validation of a non-radiographic ankle arthrometer

2011 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. e1-e1
Author(s):  
T. Nauck ◽  
H. Lohrer
Keyword(s):  
Ankle Arthrometer

scholarly journals Sex Differences, Hormone Fluctuations, Ankle Stability, and Dynamic Postural Control

2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hayley Ericksen ◽  
Phillip A. Gribble
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Postural Control ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Balance Test ◽  
Healthy Women ◽  
Ankle Stability ◽  
Ankle Arthrometer ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Star Excursion Balance Test ◽  
Anterior Posterior

Context: Hormonal fluctuation as a risk factor in anterior cruciate ligament injury has been investigated with conflicting results. However, the influence of hormone fluctuations on ankle laxity and function has not been thoroughly examined. Objective: To examine the potential hormone contributions to ankle laxity and dynamic postural control during the preovulatory and postovulatory phases of the menstrual cycle using an ankle arthrometer and the Star Excursion Balance Test in healthy women. The cohort group consisted of male control participants. Design: Cohort study. Setting: Research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty healthy women (age = 23.8 ± 6.50 years, height = 163.88 ± 8.28 cm, mass = 63.08 ± 12.38 kg) and 20 healthy men (age = 23.90 ± 4.15 years, height = 177.07 ± 7.60 cm, mass = 80.57 ± 12.20 kg). Intervention(s): Ankle stability was assessed with anterior-posterior and inversion-eversion loading. Dynamic postural control was assessed with the posteromedial reaching distance of the Star Excursion Balance Test. Main Outcome Measure(s): Female participants used ovulation kits for 3 months to determine the time of ovulation; during their preovulatory and postovulatory phases, they were tested in the laboratory with an ankle arthrometer and the Star Excursion Balance Test. Male participants were tested on similar dates as controls. For each dependent variable, a time by side by sex repeated-measures analysis of variance was performed. Statistical significance was set a priori at P < .05. Results: For anterior-posterior laxity, a side main effect was noted (F1,38 = 10.93, P = .002). For inversion-eversion laxity, a sex main effect was seen (F1,38 = 10.75, P = .002). For the posteromedial reaching task, a sex main effect was demonstrated (F1,38 = 8.72, P = .005). No influences of time on the dependent variables were evident. Conclusions: Although women presented with more ankle inversion-eversion laxity and less dynamic postural control, hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle (preovulatory compared with postovulatory) did not affect ankle laxity or dynamic postural control, 2 factors that are associated with ankle instability.

Clinical Evaluation of a New Noninvasive Ankle Arthrometer

2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanja Nauck ◽  
Heinz Lohrer ◽  
Albert Gollhofer
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Evaluation ◽  
Ankle Arthrometer

Use of an Instrumented Ankle Arthrometer and External Strain Gauge to Assess Ankle Dorsiflexion Motion and Plantarflexor Stiffness

2020 ◽  
Vol 110 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan R. Needle ◽  
Maurice K. McAlister ◽  
Zachary J. Felpel ◽  
Jeffrey M. McBride
Keyword(s):  
Strain Gauge ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Ankle Dorsiflexion ◽  
Strong Correlations ◽  
Ankle Arthrometer ◽  
Neurologic Disorders ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
20 Nm ◽  
And Inversion ◽  
External Strain

Background Ankle dorsiflexion motion and plantarflexor stiffness measurement offer clinical insight into the assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal and neurologic disorders. We aimed to determine reliability and concurrent validity of an ankle arthrometer in quantifying dorsiflexion motion and plantarflexor stiffness. Methods Ten healthy individuals were assessed for dorsiflexion motion and plantarflexor stiffness using an ankle arthrometer with a 6 degree-of-freedom kinematic linkage system and external strain gauge to apply dorsiflexion torque. Two investigators each performed five loads to the ankle at different combinations of loads (10 or 20 Nm), rates (2.5 or 5 Nm/sec), and knee angles (10° or 20°). Anteroposterior displacement and inversion-eversion rotation were also assessed with arthrometry, and functional dorsiflexion motion was assessed with the weightbearing lunge (WBL) test. Results Good-to-excellent intrarater reliability was observed for peak dorsiflexion (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC][2,k] = 0.949–0.988) and plantarflexor stiffness (ICC[2,k] = 0.761–0.984). Interrater reliability was good to excellent for peak dorsiflexion (ICC[2,1] = 0.766–0.910) and poor to excellent for plantarflexor stiffness (ICC[2,1] = 0.275–0.914). Reliability was best for 20-Nm loads at 5 Nm/sec. Strong correlations were observed between peak dorsiflexion and anteroposterior displacement (r = 0.666; P = 0.035) and WBL distance (r = -0.681; P = 0.036). Conclusions Using an ankle arthrometer to assess peak dorsiflexion and plantarflexor stiffness seems reliable when performed to greater torques with faster speeds; and offers consistency with functional measures. Use of this readily available tool may benefit clinicians attempting to quantify equinus and dorsiflexion deficits in pathological populations.

Evaluating Postural Control and Ankle Laxity Between Taping and High-Top Cleats in High School Football Players

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-117
Author(s):  
Douglas A. Pizac ◽  
Charles B. Swanik ◽  
Joseph J. Glutting ◽  
Thomas W. Kaminski
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Postural Control ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Training Session ◽  
Football Players ◽  
Ankle Sprains ◽  
High School Football ◽  
High School Sports ◽  
School Sports ◽  
Ankle Arthrometer

Context: Lateral ankle sprains are the most common injuries in high school sports. While ankle taping is a preferred method of external prophylactic support, its restrictive properties decline during exercise. The Under Armour® Highlight cleat is marketed on the premise that it provides added support without the need for additional ankle taping. Objective: To determine if differences in ankle joint laxity and postural control exist between football players wearing the Under Armour® Highlight cleat (Under Armour Inc, Baltimore, MD) as compared to a low/mid-top cleat with ankle tape. Design: Crossover trial. Setting: Athletic training room and football practice field sideline. Patients: 32 interscholastic football players (15.8 ± 1.0 y; 178.9 ± 7.4 cm; 87.1 ± 21.4 kg). Interventions: Ankle laxity was assessed using an instrumented ankle arthrometer (Blue Bay Research Inc, Milton, FL), while postural control testing was performed on the Tekscan MobileMat™ Balanced Error Scoring System (BESS; South Boston, MA). The 2 treatments included Under Armour® Highlight cleats and a low/mid-top cleat with ankle tape applied to the nondominant ankle only. Measurements were taken before and immediately after practice. Main Outcome Measures: The independent variable was treatment (Highlight vs low/mid-top cleat with ankle tape). Dependent variables included ankle arthrometry measures of anterior displacement (mm), inversion/eversion rotation (deg), and the modified BESS error scores. A linear mixed-effects model was used for analysis. Results: The low/mid-top cleat with tape condition had significantly higher inversion range-of-motion (ROM) and inversion/eversion rotation postexercise when compared to the Highlight cleat (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study provide some evidence that the Under Armour® Highlight cleat restricts ankle ROM following a training session better than the taped low/mid-top cleat. Further study is warranted to determine if this high-top style of football cleat can reduce the incidence of ankle sprains and how it might compare to spat taping.

scholarly journals Muscle Spindle Traffic in Functionally Unstable Ankles During Ligamentous Stress

2013 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan R. Needle ◽  
Swanik Charles B. (Buz) ◽  
William B. Farquhar ◽  
Stephen J. Thomas ◽  
William C. Rose ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Spindle ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Ankle Instability ◽  
Ankle Sprains ◽  
Ankle Motion ◽  
Ankle Arthrometer ◽  
Joint Forces ◽  
Peripheral Sensory ◽  
And Inversion

Context: Ankle sprains are common in athletes, with functional ankle instability (FAI) developing in approximately half of cases. The relationship between laxity and FAI has been inconclusive, suggesting that instability may be caused by insufficient sensorimotor function and dynamic restraint. Research has suggested that deafferentation of peripheral mechanoreceptors potentially causes FAI; however, direct evidence confirming peripheral sensory deficits has been elusive because previous investigators relied upon subjective proprioceptive tests. Objective: To develop a method for simultaneously recording peripheral sensory traffic, joint forces, and laxity and to quantify differences between healthy ankles and those with reported instability. Design: Case-control study. Setting: University laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 29 participants (age = 20.9 ± 2.2 years, height = 173.1 ± 8.9 cm, mass = 74.5 ± 12.7 kg) stratified as having healthy (HA, n = 19) or unstable ankles (UA, n = 10). Intervention(s): Sensory traffic from muscle spindle afferents in the peroneal nerve was recorded with microneurography while anterior (AP) and inversion (IE) stress was applied to ligamentous structures using an ankle arthrometer under test and sham conditions. Main Outcome Measure(s): Laxity (millimeters or degrees) and amplitude of sensory traffic (percentage) were determined at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 125 N of AP force and at 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 Nm of IE torque. Two-factor repeated-measures analyses of variance were used to determine differences between groups and conditions. Results: No differences in laxity were observed between groups (P &gt; .05). Afferent traffic increased with increased force and torque in test trials (P &lt; .001). The UA group displayed decreased afferent activity at 30 N of AP force compared with the HA group (HA: 30.2% ± 9.9%, UA: 17.1% ± 16.1%, P &lt; .05). Conclusions: The amplitude of sensory traffic increased simultaneously with greater ankle motion and loading, providing evidence of the integrated role of capsuloligamentous and musculotendinous mechanoreceptors in maintaining joint sensation. Unstable ankles demonstrated diminished afferent traffic at low levels of force, suggesting the early detection of joint loading may be compromised.

Reliability of Intratester and Intertester Measurements Derived from an Instrumented Ankle Arthrometer

2003 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 208-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tricia J. Hubbard ◽  
John E. Kovaleski ◽  
Thomas W. Kaminski
Keyword(s):  
Sports Medicine ◽  
Research Laboratory ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Medicine Research ◽  
Intraclass Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Type Design ◽  
Ankle Arthrometer ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
History Of

Context:Measurement reliability is critical when new sports-medicine devices or techniques are developed.Objective:To determine the reliability of laxity measurements obtained from an instrumented ankle arthrometer.Design:Intratester reliability was examined using a test–retest design, and intertester reliability was assessed using the measurements recorded by 2 different examiners on a separate group of participants.Setting:Sports-medicine research laboratory.Participants:40 participants with no history of ankle injury, equally divided across the 2 studies.Measurements:Laxity measurements included anteroposterior (AP) displacement during loading to 125 N. Inversion–eversion (I–E) rotation was tested during loading to 4000 N-mm. The measures were analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and dependentttests.Results:Good to excellent ICCs (.80–.99) for intratester and intertester reliability. A significant difference in measures was observed between testers for both AP displacement and I–E rotation.Conclusions:Laxity measurements from an instrumented ankle arthrometer are reliable across test days and examiners

scholarly journals Efficacy of a semirigid ankle brace in reducing mechanical ankle instability evaluated by 3D stress-MRI

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Helge Eberbach ◽  
Dominic Gehring ◽  
Thomas Lange ◽  
Spartak Ovsepyan ◽  
Albert Gollhofer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Contact Area ◽  
Ankle Instability ◽  
Axial Loading ◽  
Mechanical Effect ◽  
Neutral Position ◽  
Mechanical Instability ◽  
Joint Congruency ◽  
Ankle Arthrometer ◽  
Ankle Brace ◽  
Stabilizing Effect

Abstract Background Novel imaging technologies like 3D stress-MRI of the ankle allow a quantification of the mechanical instability contributing to chronic ankle instability. In the present study, we have tested the efficacy of a semirigid ankle brace on joint congruency in a plantarflexion/supination position with and without load. Methods In this controlled observational study of n = 25 patients suffering from mechanical ankle instability, a custom-built ankle arthrometer implementing a novel 3D-stress MRI technique was used to evaluate the stabilizing effect of an ankle brace. Three parameters of joint congruency (i.e., 3D cartilage contact area fibulotalar, tibiotalar horizontal and tibiotalar vertical) were measured. The loss of cartilage contact area from neutral position to a position combined of 40° of plantarflexion and 30° of supination without and with axial load of 200 N was calculated. A semirigid ankle brace was applied in plantarflexion/supination to evaluate its effect on joint congruence. Furthermore, the perceived stability of the brace during a hopping task was analyzed using visual analogue scale (VAS). Results The application of a semirigid brace led to an increase in cartilage contact area (CCA) when the foot was placed in plantarflexion and supination. This effect was visible for all three compartments of the upper ankle joint (P < 0.001; η2 = 0.54). The effect of axial loading did not result in significant differences. The subjective stability provided by the brace (VAS 7.6/10) did not correlate to the magnitude of the improvement of the overall joint congruency. Conclusions The stabilizing effect of the semirigid ankle brace can be verified using 3D stress-MRI. Providing better joint congruency with an ankle brace may reduce peak loads at certain areas of the talus, which possibly cause osteochondral or degenerative lesions. However, the perceived stability provided by the brace does not seem to reflect into the mechanical effect of the brace. Trial registration The study protocol was prospectively registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (#DRKS00016356).

scholarly journals Analysis of Ankle Laxity, Self-reported Function, and Perceived Instability in Chronic Ankle Instability, Coper, and Control Groups

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-51
Author(s):  
Hongsuk Lee ◽  
Hyunsoo Kim ◽  
Ty Hopkins ◽  
S. Jun Son
Keyword(s):  
Ankle Instability ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Frontal Plane ◽  
Static Stability ◽  
Chronic Ankle Instability ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Ankle Arthrometer ◽  
Ankle Function ◽  
And Control

PURPOSE:This study aimed to identify differences in ankle laxity in chronic ankle instability (CAI), coper, and control groups, and a correlation between ankle laxity, self-reported function, and perceived instability.METHODS: Sixty-six participants (22 CAI patients, 22 copers, and 22 controls) selected by recommendations of the International Ankle Consortium volunteered for this study. Foot and Ankle Ability Measure Activities of Daily Living (FAAM-ADL), FAAM-Sports, and Ankle Instability Instrument (AII) were used to assess participants’ self-reported function and perceived instability. The FAAMADL and FAAM-Sports are reported as a percentage. Higher scores indicate better function. The AII is reported as “yes” responses while more “yes” responses indicate higher instability. Three trials of anterior/posterior (A/P) displacement and inversion/eversion (I/E) displacement were assessed by an instrumented ankle arthrometer. Greater displacement indicates higher laxity. The ankle positioned in sagittal- and frontal-plane neutral while A/P and I/E displacement were assessed with 125 N and 4 N-m, respectively. The means of three trials were used for data analysis. One-way ANOVA and Tukey post-hoc comparisons (α=0.05) were performed to identify differences in ankle laxity between groups. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to identify a relationship between ankle laxity, self-reported function, and perceived instability.RESULTS: CAI patients show greater A/P displacement compared to control group (p<.03), and greater I/E displacement compared to coper and control groups (p<.03). Several positive and negative correlations were found between ankle laxity, self-reported function, and perceived instability (p<.00).CONCLUSIONS: As self-reported function and perceived instability are correlated with greater laxity (I/E displacement), improving static stability (ankle laxity) may play an important role in improving perceived ankle function and instability in CAI.

scholarly journals Detecting Ankle Instability With an Instrumented Ankle Arthrometer: An Experimental Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (9) ◽  
pp. 2019-2026 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Gehring ◽  
Lu Li ◽  
Giuseppe Bonsignore ◽  
Nadja Dorn‐Lange ◽  
Albert Gollhofer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Ankle Instability ◽  
Ankle Arthrometer

scholarly journals Knee and Ankle Position, Anterior Drawer Laxity, and Stiffness of the Ankle Complex

2008 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 242-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
John E. Kovaleski ◽  
Phillip M. Norrell ◽  
Robert J. Heitman ◽  
J. Marcus Hollis ◽  
Albert W. Pearsall
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Plantar Flexion ◽  
Collegiate Athletes ◽  
Female Age ◽  
Anterior Drawer ◽  
Repeated Measures Design ◽  
Ankle Arthrometer ◽  
Anterior Laxity ◽  
Ankle Complex ◽  
The Stability

Abstract Context: Anterior drawer testing of the ankle is commonly used to diagnose lateral ligamentous instability. Our hypothesis was that changing knee and ankle positions would change the stability of the ankle complex during anterior drawer testing. Objectives: To assess the effects of knee and ankle position on anterior drawer laxity and stiffness of the ankle complex. Design: A repeated-measures design with knee and ankle position as independent variables. Setting: University research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Bilateral ankles of 10 female (age  =  19.8 ± 1.1 years) and 10 male (age  =  20.8 ± 1.2 years) collegiate athletes were tested. Intervention(s): Each ankle complex underwent loading using an ankle arthrometer under 4 test conditions consisting of 2 knee positions (90° and 0° of flexion) and 2 ankle positions (0° and 10° of plantar flexion [PF]). Main Outcome Measure(s): Recorded anterior laxity (mm) and stiffness (N/mm). Results: Anterior laxity of the ankle complex was maximal with the knee positioned at 90° of flexion and the ankle at 10° of PF when compared with the knee positioned at 0° of flexion and the ankle at 10° or 0° of PF (P &lt; .001), whereas ankle complex stiffness was greatest with the knee positioned at 0° of flexion and the ankle at 0° of PF (P &lt; .009). Conclusions: Anterior drawer testing of the ankle complex with the knee positioned at 90° of flexion and the ankle at 10° of PF produced the most laxity and the least stiffness. These findings indicate that anterior drawer testing with the knee at 90° of flexion and the ankle at 10° of PF may permit better isolation of the ankle capsuloligamentous structures.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document