The Role of Y Balance Test Execution Time in Detecting Chronic Ankle Instability

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Biomechanics
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Chronic ankle instability (CAI) impairs postural balance, posing challenges for accurate clinical assessment.
• Identifying reliable clinical parameters is crucial for evaluating CAI-related deficits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if normalized anterior reach distance and normalized execution time during the Y Balance Test can differentiate between a CAI leg and a healthy leg.
• To investigate the predictive value of these Y Balance Test metrics for identifying CAI.

Main Methods:

• Fifteen individuals with CAI underwent three anterior Y Balance Test trials on both their CAI and healthy legs.
• Normalized anterior reach distance and normalized execution time were recorded and analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA, logistic regression, and ROC curve analysis.

Main Results:

• The CAI leg exhibited significantly lower normalized anterior reach distance (83.00 ± 7.85%) compared to the healthy leg (88.40 ± 7.06%).
• The CAI leg also showed a significantly higher normalized execution time (0.140 ± 0.03 s·%-1) than the healthy leg (0.128 ± 0.02 s·%-1).
• Normalized anterior reach distance was a significant predictor of CAI (OR=1.13, p=0.048), while execution time did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusions:

• Normalized anterior reach distance demonstrates fair discriminatory capacity for CAI.
• While not a significant predictor, elevated execution time in the CAI leg may indicate altered neuromuscular control.
• Combining reach distance and execution time may offer a more comprehensive assessment of dynamic balance in individuals with CAI.