Posturographic evaluation of the proprioceptive effect of ankle orthoses in healthy volunteers

This study analyses the proprioceptive effect of wearing a unilateral and then bilateral ankle orthosis on 34 healthy volunteer subjects by posturography. An elastic orthosis with a ligamentous support band was used, and evaluation was performed by a posturographic statokinesimetric platform. Three tests, one without an orthosis, one with one orthosis, and one with two orthoses, were recorded for each volunteer. The results and statistical analyses demonstrated a significant difference in the antero-posterior measurement between the test without ankle orthosis and the tests with one and with two orthoses. This study provides information about the prophylactic effect of wearing a flexible support; it appears that there are important inter-individual variations in postural equilibrium, and the wearing of prophylactic ankle orthoses should be reserved for subjects after a posturographic examination.