EFFECT OF FOOTBALL ON REHABILITATION OF ANKLE INJURY PATIENTS

ABSTRACT Introduction: Brief introduction: Ankle tendon and ligament sports injuries are common in football players. Objective: To continue to improve special strength training related to the characteristics of football after rehabilitation of injured ankle tendons and ligaments. Methods: Two master football sportsmen were rehabilitated by multi-point equal-length, short-arc and long-arc equal-speed training combined with balance ability exercises. Results: There were two long muscle L be maintain muscle tone plantar flexors force four times of 96 n/m, n/m 121, 140 n/m, 145 n/m than back flexors force of 63 n/m, 52 n/m, 60 n/m, 74 n/m tall. Plantar flexor fatigue was 57%, 30%, 29%, 12%, 28%, 18%, 20%, 21%. Conclusions: With the passing of time, the relative peak moment value of the right ankle plantar flexor muscle group of the two patients kept rising, the dorsiflexor muscle was basically flat, and the work fatigue index decreased step by step, indicating that the right ankle muscle strength level was significantly improved, the anti-fatigue ability was improved, and the rehabilitation treatment had a good effect. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results.

Association of Ankle Dorsiflexion and Landing Forces in Jumping Athletes

Background: Dorsiflexion range of motion restriction has been associated with patellar tendinopathy, but the mechanisms of how dorsiflexion restriction could contribute to knee overload remain unknown. Hypothesis: Peak ankle dorsiflexion and ankle dorsiflexion excursion are negatively associated with peak vertical ground-reaction force (vGRF) and loading rate, and with peak patellar tendon force and loading rate, and positively associated with peak ankle plantar flexor moment. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Methods: Kinematic and kinetic data of 26 healthy recreational jumping athletes were measured during a single-leg drop vertical jump. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated to establish the association between peak ankle dorsiflexion and ankle dorsiflexion excursion with peak vGRF and vGRF loading rate, with peak patellar tendon force and patellar tendon force loading rate, and with peak ankle plantar flexor moment. Results: Ankle dorsiflexion excursion negatively correlated with peak vGRF loading rate ( r = −0.49; P = 0.011) and positively correlated with peak ankle flexor plantar moment ( r = 0.52; P = 0.006). In addition, there was a positive correlation between peak ankle dorsiflexion and peak vGRF ( r = 0.39; P = 0.05). Conclusion: Ankle kinematics are associated with vGRF loading rate, ankle flexor plantar moment and peak vGRF influencing knee loads, but no association was observed between ankle kinematics and patellar tendon loads. Clinical Relevance: These results suggest that increasing ankle dorsiflexion excursion may be an important strategy to reduce lower limb loads during landings but should not be viewed as the main factor for reducing patellar tendon force.

Comparison Between High- and Low-Intensity Static Stretching Training Program on Active and Passive Properties of Plantar Flexors

The purpose of this study was to compare two static stretching (SS) training programs at high-intensity (HI-SS) and low-intensity (LI-SS) on passive and active properties of the plantar flexor muscles. Forty healthy young men were randomly allocated into three groups: HI-SS intervention group (n = 14), LI-SS intervention group (n = 13), and non-intervention control group (n = 13). An 11-point numerical scale (0–10; none to very painful stretching) was used to determine SS intensity. HI-SS and LI-SS stretched at 6–7 and 0–1 intensities, respectively, both in 3 sets of 60 s, 3×/week, for 4 weeks. Dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM), gastrocnemius muscle stiffness, muscle strength, drop jump height, and muscle architecture were assessed before and after SS training program. The HI-SS group improved more than LI-SS in ROM (40 vs. 15%) and decreased muscle stiffness (−57 vs. −24%), while no significant change was observed for muscle strength, drop jump height, and muscle architecture in both groups. The control group presented no significant change in any variable. Performing HI-SS is more effective than LI-SS for increasing ROM and decreasing muscle stiffness of plantar flexor muscles following a 4-week training period in young men. However, SS may not increase muscle strength or hypertrophy, regardless of the stretching discomfort intensity.

Intra-and Intermuscular Coherence and Body Acceleration Control in Older Adults during Bipedal Stance

Our aim was to clarify the effect of aging on the coherence of electromyograms of plantar flexor pairs during bipedal stance and to clarify the relationship between coherence and center-of-mass acceleration (COMacc). The subjects were 16 adults and 18 older adults. Intra- and intermuscular coherence and phase analyses were used to analyze the muscle pairs of bilateral and unilateral plantar flexor muscle groups. The relationship between coherence value and anterior–posterior COMacc of the plantar flexor muscle pairs was also examined to determine whether the connectivity of the lower limb muscle pairs is functionally important. The older adults showed higher coherence in the frequency range of 0–4 Hz for muscle pairs than the younger adults. In phase analysis, the older adults showed a phase difference between bilateral heteronymous muscle pairs in the frequency range of 0–6 Hz, which was one of the characteristics not seen in the younger adults. Correlation analysis showed that all the muscle pairs were moderately correlated with COMacc in the older adults. Not only does aging affects the organization of the bilateral and unilateral postural muscle activity of the plantar flexors during bipedal stance, but such organization may also be related to the increased COMacc characteristics of older adults.

Role of Spasticity Severity on the Balance of Post-stroke Patients

Background: Lower limb spasticity after stroke is common that can affect the balance, increase the risk of falling, and reduces the quality of life.Objective: First, evaluate the effects of spasticity severity of ankle plantar flexors on balance of patients after stroke. Second, to determine the relationship between the spasticity severity with ankle proprioception, passive ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM), and balance confidence.Methods: Twenty-eight patients with stroke based on the Modified Modified Ashworth Scale (MMAS) were divided into two groups: High Spasticity Group (HSG) (MMAS > 2) (n = 14) or a Low Spasticity Group (LSG) (MMAS ≤ 2) (n = 14). The MMAS scores, Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Questionnaire, postural sway of both affected and non-affected limbs under the eyes open and eyes closed conditions, timed up and go (TUG) test, passive ankle dorsiflexion ROM, and ankle joint proprioception were measured.Results: The ankle joint proprioception was significantly better in the LSG compared to the HSG (p = 0.01). No significant differences were found between the LSG and HSG on all other outcome measures. There were no significant relationships between the spasticity severity and passive ankle dorsiflexion ROM, and balance confidence.Conclusion: The severity of ankle plantar flexor spasticity had no effects on balance of patients with stroke. However, the ankle joint proprioception was better in patients with low spasticity. Our findings suggest that the balance is affected regardless of the severity of the ankle plantar flexor spasticity in this group of participants with stroke.