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Effect of rearfoot orthotics on postural sway after lateral ankle sprain
J Hertel1, C R Denegar, W E Buckley
1Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. jnh3@psu.edu
Objective:
To investigate the effects of different rearfoot orthotics on postural sway during unilateral stance after lateral ankle sprain.
Design:
Repeated-measures 3-factor analysis of variance on postural sway length and velocity in the frontal and sagittal planes with factors being stance leg (injured, uninjured), session (within 3 d, 2 wk, 4 wk postinjury), and condition (6 orthotic conditions).
Setting:
University biomechanics laboratory.
Patients:
Fifteen collegiate athletes with acute, unilateral first- or second-degree lateral ankle sprain.
Interventions:
Balance testing was performed under 6 conditions: (1) shoe only, (2) molded Aquaplast orthotic, (3) lateral heel wedge, (4) 7 degrees medially posted orthotic, (5) 4 degrees laterally posted orthotic, and (6) neutral orthotic.
Main Outcome Measures:
Postural sway length and postural sway velocity in the frontal and sagittal planes.
Results:
Significant main effects were found for side and session, but not orthotic condition, for all 4 dependent variables. Postural sway length and velocity were greater on the injured limbs as compared with the uninjured limbs during the first 2 sessions but not during the third session. None of the orthotics significantly reduced postural sway compared with the shoe-only condition after lateral ankle sprain.
Conclusions:
Rearfoot orthotics, irrespective of design or posting, were ineffective at improving postural sway after lateral ankle sprain.
