Effects of anticipation on joint kinematics during inversion perturbation in individuals with chronic ankle...

Although chronic ankle instability (CAI) patients display altered reactive joint kinematics after inversion perturbation, little is known about the effects of anticipation on reactive joint kinematics among CAI, coper, and control groups.

To assess changes in reactive joint kinematics after different inverted landing situations including planned- and unplanned-condition among groups of CAI, coper, and control.

Sixty-six volunteers participated (22 per group). Participants completed three trials of both planned and unplanned single-leg landing onto an inverted force platform while reactive joint kinematic data were collected from initial-contact to 200 ms after initial-contact. Two-way repeated measures ANOVAs were used to examine the differences between condition (planned-, unplanned-conditions) and group (CAI, coper, control).

There were significant group by condition interactions for total ankle displacement in the frontal plane (p < 0.01) and maximum ankle inversion velocity (p = 0.01). CAI patients displayed increased ankle displacement (p < 0.01) and maximum inversion velocity (p < 0.01) under the unplanned condition compared to the planned condition. However, copers did not show any differences in ankle displacement and maximum inversion velocity between the two conditions.

CAI patients displayed greater changes in ankle joint displacement and maximum ankle inversion velocity occurred after inversion perturbation under unplanned condition compared with copers and controls. Current data suggest that altered reactive joint kinematics under the unanticipated condition in CAI patients may contribute to the condition of CAI after ankle sprains. Clinicians should focus on rehabilitation programs to recover and/or develop feedback control for CAI patients during functional movements under unanticipated condition to prevent further injuries.