Assessment of Relationships Between Joint Motion Quality and Postural Control in Patients With Chronic Ankle Joint Instability

Study Design Controlled laboratory study, cross-sectional. Background Lateral ankle sprains are among the most common injuries encountered during athletic participation. Following the initial injury, there is an alarmingly high risk of reinjury and development of chronic ankle instability (CAI), which is dependent on a combination of factors, including sensorimotor deficits and changes in the biomechanical environment of the ankle joint. Objective To evaluate CAI-related disturbances in arthrokinematic motion quality and postural control and the relationships between them. Methods Sixty-three male subjects (31 with CAI and 32 healthy controls) were enrolled in the study. For arthrokinematic motion quality analysis, the vibroarthrographic signals were collected during ankle flexion/extension motion using an acceleration sensor and described by variability (variance of mean squares [VMS]), amplitude (mean of 4 maximal and 4 minimal values [R4]), and frequency (vibroarthrographic signal bands of 50 to 250 Hz [P1] and 250 to 450 Hz [P2]) parameters. Using the Biodex Balance System, single-leg dynamic balance was measured by overall, anteroposterior, and mediolateral stability indices. Results Values of vibroarthrographic parameters (VMS, R4, P1 and P2) were significantly higher in the CAI group than those in the control group (P