Noise-Enhanced Eversion Force Sense in Ankles With or Without Functional Instability

Context Force sense impairments are associated with functional ankle instability. Stochastic resonance stimulation (SRS) may have implications for correcting these force sense deficits. Objective To determine if SRS improved force sense. Design Case-control study. Setting Research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants Twelve people with functional ankle instability (age = 23 ± 3 years, height = 174 ± 8 cm, mass = 69 ± 10 kg) and 12 people with stable ankles (age = 22 ± 2 years, height = 170 ± 7 cm, mass = 64 ± 10 kg). Intervention(s) The eversion force sense protocol required participants to reproduce a targeted muscle tension (10% of maximum voluntary isometric contraction). This protocol was assessed under SRSon and SRSoff (control) conditions. During SRSon, random subsensory mechanical noise was applied to the lower leg at a customized optimal intensity for each participant. Main Outcome Measure(s) Constant error, absolute error, and variable error measures quantified accuracy, overall performance, and consistency of force reproduction, respectively. Results With SRS, we observed main effects for force sense absolute error (SRSoff = 1.01 ± 0.67 N, SRSon = 0.69 ± 0.42 N) and variable error (SRSoff = 1.11 ± 0.64 N, SRSon = 0.78 ± 0.56 N) (P < .05). No other main effects or treatment-by-group interactions were found (P > .05). Conclusions Although SRS reduced the overall magnitude (absolute error) and variability (variable error) of force sense errors, it had no effect on the directionality (constant error). Clinically, SRS may enhance muscle tension ability, which could have treatment implications for ankle stability.

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Fatigue’s Effect on Eversion Force Sense in Individuals With and Without Functional Ankle Instability

Journal of Sport Rehabilitation ◽

10.1123/jsr.21.2.127 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 127-136 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Cynthia J. Wright ◽

Brent L. Arnold

Keyword(s):

Outcome Measures ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Sports Medicine ◽

Ankle Instability ◽

Absolute Error ◽

Ankle Sprains ◽

Functional Ankle Instability ◽

Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction ◽

Medicine Research ◽

Force Sense

Context:Force sense (FS), the proprioceptive ability to detect muscle-force generation, has been shown to be impaired in individuals with functional ankle instability (FAI). Fatigue can also impair FS in healthy individuals, but it is unknown how fatigue affects FS in individuals with FAI.Objective:To assess the effect of fatigue on ankle-eversion force-sense error in individuals with and without FAI. Design: Case control with repeated measures.Setting:Sports medicine research laboratory.Participants:32 individuals with FAI and 32 individuals with no ankle sprains or instability in their lifetime. FAI subjects had a history of ≥1 lateral ankle sprain and giving-way ≥1 episode per month.Interventions:Three eversion FS trials were captured per load (10% and 30% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction) using a load cell before and after a concentric eversion fatigue protocol.Main Outcome Measures:Trial error was the difference between the target and reproduction forces. Constant error (CE), absolute error (AE), and variable error (VE) were calculated from 3 trial errors. A Group × Fatigue × Load repeated-measures ANOVA was performed for each error.Results:There were no significant 3-way interactions or 2-way interactions involving group (all P > .05). CE and AE had a significant 2-way interaction between load and fatigue (CE: F1,62 = 8.704, P = .004; AE: F1,62 = 4.024, P = .049), and VE had a significant main effect for fatigue (F1,62 = 5.130, P = .027), all of which indicated increased FS error with fatigue at 10% load. However, at 30% load only VE increased with fatigue. The FAI group had greater error as measured by AE (F1,62 = 4.571, P = .036) but not CE or VE (P > .05).Conclusions:Greater AE indicates that FAI individuals are less accurate in their force production. Fatigue impaired force sense in all subjects equally. These deficits provide evidence of impaired proprioception with fatigue and in individuals with FAI.

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Eversion Force Sense Characteristics in Individuals with Functional Ankle Instability

Athletic Training & Sports Health Care ◽

10.3928/19425864-20100630-07 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 33-42 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Cynthia J. Wright ◽

Brent L. Arnold

Keyword(s):

Ankle Instability ◽

Functional Ankle Instability ◽

Force Sense

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Reconsideration of Measurement of Error in Human Motor Learning

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1988.67.2.568 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 67 (2) ◽

pp. 568-570 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Darryl A. Crabtree ◽

Laura R. Antrim

Keyword(s):

Motor Learning ◽

Error Analysis ◽

Constant Error ◽

Mean Absolute Error ◽

Absolute Error ◽

Error Measurement ◽

Variable Error ◽

Human Motor ◽

Parsimonious Model

Human motor learning is often measured by error scores. The convention of using mean absolute error, mean constant error, and variable error shows lack of desirable parsimony and interpretability. This paper provides the background of error measurement and states criticisms of conventional methodology. A parsimonious model of error analysis is provided, along with operationalized interpretations and implications for motor learning. Teaching, interpreting, and using error scores in research may be simplified and facilitated with the model.

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Individuals with Functional Ankle Instability have Contralateral Lowload Force Sense Deficits but not Joint Reposition Sense Deficits

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise ◽

10.1097/00005768-200405001-00896 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 36 (Supplement) ◽

pp. S187

Author(s):

Carrie Docherty ◽

Brent L. Arnold ◽

Bruce M. Gansneder ◽

Shepard R. Hurwitz ◽

Joe H. Gieck

Keyword(s):

Ankle Instability ◽

Functional Ankle Instability ◽

Force Sense

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Individuals with Functional Ankle Instability have Contralateral Lowload Force Sense Deficits but not Joint Reposition Sense Deficits

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise ◽

10.1249/00005768-200405001-00896 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 36 (Supplement) ◽

pp. S187

Author(s):

Carrie Docherty ◽

Brent L. Arnold ◽

Bruce M. Gansneder ◽

Shepard R. Hurwitz ◽

Joe H. Gieck

Keyword(s):

Ankle Instability ◽

Functional Ankle Instability ◽

Force Sense

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Anticipation of Coincidence, Gender, and Sports Classification

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1996.82.1.227 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 82 (1) ◽

pp. 227-239 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Frank Brady

Keyword(s):

Constant Error ◽

Absolute Error ◽

Female Students ◽

Male And Female ◽

Error Constant ◽

Variable Error ◽

Gender And Sports ◽

And Gender

This study investigated the effects of sport classification and gender on anticipation of coincidence. 102 undergraduate male and female students from open skills, closed skills, and nonathletic groups were tested on the Bassin Anticipation Timer. The dependent measures of absolute error, constant error, and variable error were analyzed in a 2 (gender) × 3 (sport classification) × 4 (speeds) design. Men had lower absolute and constant error scores than women. Open skills athletes were less variable in their responses while male open skills athletes were more accurate and less variable at the faster speeds. Performance on the Bassin Anticipation Timer may not be representative of athletic skills.

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A Preliminary Comparison of Stimulus Presentation Methods with the Bassin Anticipation Timing Task

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1997.85.1.344 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 85 (1) ◽

pp. 344-346 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Melanie A. Hart ◽

T. Gilmour Reeve

Keyword(s):

Target Location ◽

Constant Error ◽

Stimulus Presentation ◽

Absolute Error ◽

Timing Errors ◽

Preliminary Comparison ◽

Variable Error ◽

Timing Task ◽

Response Performance ◽

Presentation Methods

The Bassin Anticipation Timing Task was used to compare response performance when the stimulus terminated at the target location to when the stimulus continued past the target location. Two conditions (terminating and continuing) were tested by measuring timing errors on the task. Analyses indicated no significant differences in absolute error and variable error between the conditions. However, analysis of constant error showed a significant effect, with the timing errors being fewer on the terminating condition. These results suggest that the two stimulus presentation methods with the Bassin Anticipation Task differentially influence timing performance.

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Ankle Strength and Force Sense After a Progressive, 6-Week Strength-Training Program in People With Functional Ankle Instability

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1062-6050-47.3.06 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 47 (3) ◽

pp. 282-288 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Brent I. Smith ◽

Carrie L. Docherty ◽

Janet Simon ◽

Joanne Klossner ◽

John Schrader

Keyword(s):

Strength Training ◽

Athletic Training ◽

Ankle Instability ◽

Training Group ◽

Ankle Injuries ◽

Control Group ◽

Strength Development ◽

Functional Ankle Instability ◽

Group 10 ◽

Force Sense

Context: Although strength training is commonly used to rehabilitate ankle injuries, studies investigating the effects of strength training on proprioception have shown conflicting results. Objective: To determine the effects of a 6-week strength-training protocol on force sense and strength development in participants with functional ankle instability. Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial. Setting: University athletic training research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 40 participants with functional ankle instability were recruited. They were randomly placed into a training group (10 men, 10 women: age = 20.9 ± 2.2 years, height = 76.4 ± 16.1 cm, mass = 173.0 ± 7.9 kg) or control group (10 men, 10 women: age = 20.2 ± 2.1 years, height = 78.8 ± 24.5 cm, mass = 173.7 ± 8.2 kg). Intervention(s): Participants in the training group performed strength exercises with the injured ankle 3 times per week for 6 weeks. The protocol consisted of a combination of rubber exercise bands and the Multiaxial Ankle Exerciser, both clinically accepted strengthening methods for ankle rehabilitation. The progression of this protocol provided increasingly resistive exercise as participants changed either the number of sets or resistance of the Thera-Band or Multiaxial Ankle Exerciser. Main Outcome Measure(s): A load cell was used to measure strength and force sense. Inversion and eversion strength was recorded to the nearest 0.01 N. Force-sense reproduction was measured at 2 loads: 20% and 30% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction. Results: Increases in inversion (F1,38 = 11.59, P < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.23, power = 0.91) and eversion (F1,38 = 57.68, P < .01, ηp2 = 0.60, power = 0.99) strength were found in the training group at the posttest when compared with the control group. No significant improvements were noted in force-sense reproduction for either group. Conclusions: Strength training at the ankle increased strength but did not improve force sense.

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