Effect of Different Protection on Lateral Ankle during Landing: An Instantaneous Impact Analysis

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Sports Medicine
• Injury Prevention

Background:

• Ankle sprains are common in parachute landings, often caused by inversion injuries.
• Understanding tissue biomechanics is crucial for analyzing injury mechanisms and developing protective gear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the biomechanical effects of ankle braces on injury prevention during simulated parachute landings.
• To compare the efficacy of external and elastic ankle braces in reducing ligament strain and bone stress.

Main Methods:

• A foot-boot-brace finite element (FE) model was developed.
• Dynamic stability tests determined landing boundary conditions.
• The FE model simulated landings on an inversion platform (0-20°) with non-, external, and elastic braces.

Main Results:

• Both external and elastic braces significantly decreased peak ligament strains (15.2-33.0%) and fibula stress (15.2-24.5%) compared to no brace.
• Elastic braces showed better ligament strain reduction than external braces at 10° inversion.
• Peak fibula stress decreased by up to 24.5% with elastic braces and 5.6-10.3% with external braces.

Conclusions:

• Ankle brace use is effective in mitigating lateral ankle ligament and fibula stress during simulated parachute landings.
• Elastic ankle braces provide superior protection against inversion injuries compared to external braces.
• Findings inform the design of improved ankle protection for high-impact activities.