38 Gait kinematics and kinetics in patients with and without chronic ankle instability: a statistical parametric mapping analysis

Context: Chronic ankle instability is characterized by repetitive lateral ankle sprains. Prophylactic ankle taping is a common intervention used to reduce the risk of ankle sprains. However, little research has been conducted to evaluate the effect ankle taping has on gait kinematics. Objective: To investigate the effect of taping on ankle and knee kinematics during walking and jogging in participants with chronic ankle instability. Design: Controlled laboratory study. Setting: Motion analysis laboratory. Patients or Participants: A total of 15 individuals (8 men, 7 women; age = 26.9 ± 6.8 years, height = 171.7 ± 6.3 cm, mass = 73.5 ± 10.7 kg) with self-reported chronic ankle instability volunteered. They had an average of 5.3 ± 3.1 incidences of ankle sprain. Intervention(s): Participants walked and jogged in shoes on a treadmill while untaped and taped. The tape technique was a traditional preventive taping procedure. Conditions were randomized. Main Outcome Measure(s): Frontal-plane and sagittal-plane ankle and sagittal-plane knee kinematics were recorded throughout the entire gait cycle. Group means and 90% confidence intervals were calculated, plotted, and inspected for percentages of the gait cycle in which the confidence intervals did not overlap. Results: During walking, participants were less plantar flexed from 64% to 69% of the gait cycle (mean difference = 5.73° ± 0.54°) and less inverted from 51% to 61% (mean difference = 4.34° ± 0.65°) and 76% to 81% (mean difference = 5.55° ± 0.54°) of the gait cycle when taped. During jogging, participants were less dorsiflexed from 12% to 21% (mean difference = 4.91° ± 0.18°) and less inverted from 47% to 58% (mean difference = 6.52° ± 0.12°) of the gait cycle when taped. No sagittal-plane knee kinematic differences were found. Conclusions: In those with chronic ankle instability, taping resulted in a more neutral ankle position during walking and jogging in shoes on a treadmill. This change in foot positioning and the mechanical properties of the tape may explain the protective aspect of taping in preventing lateral ankle sprains.

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Hip Kinematics During a Stop-Jump Task in Patients With Chronic Ankle Instability

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1062-6050-46.5.461 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 46 (5) ◽

pp. 461-467 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Cathleen N. Brown ◽

Darin A. Padua ◽

Stephen W. Marshall ◽

Kevin M. Guskiewicz

Keyword(s):

Ankle Sprain ◽

Ankle Instability ◽

Vertical Jump ◽

Reaction Force ◽

Chronic Ankle Instability ◽

Maximum Speed ◽

Initial Contact ◽

Hip Kinematics ◽

Hip Flexion ◽

Kinematics And Kinetics

Context: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) commonly develops after lateral ankle sprain. Movement pattern differences at proximal joints may play a role in instability. Objective: To determine whether people with mechanical ankle instability (MAI) or functional ankle instability (FAI) exhibited different hip kinematics and kinetics during a stop-jump task compared with “copers.” Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Sports medicine research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Sixty-three recreational athletes, 21 (11 men, 10 women) per group, matched for sex, age, height, mass, and limb dominance. All participants reported a history of a moderate to severe ankle sprain. The participants with MAI and FAI reported 2 or more episodes of giving way at the ankle in the last year and decreased functional ability; copers did not. The MAI group demonstrated clinically positive anterior drawer and talar tilt tests, whereas the FAI group and copers did not. Intervention(s): Participants performed a maximum-speed approach run and a 2-legged stop jump followed by a maximum vertical jump. Main Outcome Measure(s): An electromagnetic tracking device synchronized with a force plate collected data during the stance phase of a 2-legged stop jump. Hip motion was measured from initial contact to takeoff into the vertical jump. Group differences in hip kinematics and kinetics were assessed. Results: The MAI group demonstrated greater hip flexion at initial contact and at maximum (P = .029 and P = .017, respectively) and greater hip external rotation at maximum (P = .035) than the coper group. The MAI group also demonstrated greater hip flexion displacement than both the FAI (P = .050) and coper groups (P = .006). No differences were noted between the FAI and coper groups in hip kinematic variables or among any of the groups in ground reaction force variables. Conclusions: The MAI group demonstrated different hip kinematics than the FAI and coper groups. Proximal joint motion may be affected by ankle joint function and laxity, and clinicians may need to assess proximal joints after repeated ankle sprains.

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