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Ankle function during gait in patients with chronic ankle instability compared to controls
Kenneth Monaghan1, Eamonn Delahunt, Brian Caulfield
1School of Physiotherapy, Motion Analysis Laboratory, University College Dublin, Health Sciences Building, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. kenneth.monaghan@ucd.ie
Clinical Biomechanics (Bristol, Avon)
|November 5, 2005
Summary
Individuals with chronic ankle instability exhibit altered walking patterns, with increased frontal plane inversion and different muscle activation during heel strike. This may lead to repeated ankle injuries.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Orthopedics
- Sports Medicine
Background:
- The underlying causes of chronic ankle instability (CAI) following ankle inversion sprains remain unclear.
- CAI has not been dynamically assessed during walking using 3D motion analysis.
- This study investigated kinematic and kinetic differences during gait in individuals with CAI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the dynamic gait patterns of individuals with CAI to healthy controls.
- To identify kinematic and kinetic differences during the pre-heel strike and post-heel strike phases of walking.
Main Methods:
- Fifty participants (25 with CAI, 25 matched controls) underwent 3D motion analysis during walking.
- Kinematic and kinetic data were collected for 100 ms before and 200 ms after heel strike.
- A force plate was used in conjunction with the motion analysis system.
Main Results:
- CAI subjects demonstrated significantly greater frontal plane inversion compared to controls.
- Higher joint angular velocity at heel strike was observed in the CAI group.
- During early stance, CAI subjects utilized a concentric evertor muscle moment, unlike the eccentric invertor muscle moment in controls.
Conclusions:
- Altered kinematics and kinetics in CAI may increase stress on ankle structures during gait.
- These biomechanical changes could contribute to recurrent ankle injuries and damage.