Acute Vibration Feedback During Gait Reduces Mechanical Ankle Joint Loading in Chronic Ankle Instability Patients

Individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) exhibit altered vertical ground reaction forces (vGRF), a laterally shifted center of pressure, and an inverted foot position during walking. These neuromechanical alterations are linked with altered ankle joint loading in this population. Vibration-based gait retraining improves center of pressure positioning but effects on neuromechanical variables influencing joint loading remains unknown.

Do patients with CAI exhibit altered vGRF and ankle joint contact forces (JCF) after receiving a single session of vibration-based gait retraining?

Ten individuals with CAI underwent a single session of vibration-based gait retraining. Kinematic and kinetic data were collected during walking on an instrumental treadmill with force plates embedded in it. Following a baseline gait assessment without feedback, participants walked at a self-selected speed for 10 minutes while receiving feedback. Data was collected during an early (1 st and 2 nd minute) and late adaptation phase (9 th and 10 th minute) and, compared to baseline values. Impact and propulsive vGRF variables (i.e. peak, time to peak, and loading rate) were obtained. Musculoskeletal modeling was used to calculate ankle JCF variables (peak, impulse, and loading rate) during stance phase.

Propulsive vGRF and ankle JCF outcomes were significantly reduced during the early and late adaptation phases (p ≤ 0.039).

These results indicate that vibration-based gait retraining can immediately reduce propulsive vGRF and ankle JCF and may represent a modality that could help restore appropriate ankle joint loading patterns in those with CAI.