Abstract
Objective:
Although ankle braces supposedly protect the ankle by providing mechanical support of the joint and enhancing proprioceptive input, their proprioceptive effects are unclear. Measuring the center of pressure during posture provides a reasonably well-controlled evaluation of proprioceptive input at the ankle. We, therefore, compared the changes in the center of pressure resulting from wearing ankle braces and wearing no brace (control).
Design and Setting:
Center-of-pressure variables were measured during a one-legged modified Romberg test with six variations. The six test conditions systematically altered the three sensory modalities that control posture: visual input, vestibular input, and proprioceptive input. Subjects performed three 16-second trials of each Romberg variation for each brace condition.
Subjects:
Twenty-four male volunteers (age = 18 to 26 yr) with no history of ankle injuries in the past 5 years and no difficulty with balance.
Measurements:
Center of pressure, transmitted through the bottom of the foot, was monitored during each trial and transformed into total distance traveled, anterior-posterior (AP) position, and medial-lateral (ML) position.
Results:
Average AP and ML center-of-pressure positions were increased only during brace wearing when all sensory modalities were functioning normally (control condition). Total center-of-pressure distance was the same for all three brace conditions.
Conclusions:
Our results do not support or refute the concept that bracing enhances proprioception. The fact that subjects relocated their center of pressure only during the control condition is perplexing. If braces were to enhance proprioception, one would expect to see lower average ML and average AP center-of-pressure values when comparing the braced with the unbraced conditions. Alternatively, the relocated position may represent a more stable position resulting from enhanced proprioception.
Keywords: ankle braces, balance, center of pressure, proprioception
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Bennell K. L., Goldie P. A. The differential effects of external ankle support on postural control. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1994 Dec;20(6):287–295. doi: 10.2519/jospt.1994.20.6.287. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Feuerbach J. W., Grabiner M. D., Koh T. J., Weiker G. G. Effect of an ankle orthosis and ankle ligament anesthesia on ankle joint proprioception. Am J Sports Med. 1994 Mar-Apr;22(2):223–229. doi: 10.1177/036354659402200212. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Firer P. Effectiveness of taping for the prevention of ankle ligament sprains. Br J Sports Med. 1990 Mar;24(1):47–50. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.24.1.47. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Freeman M. A., Dean M. R., Hanham I. W. The etiology and prevention of functional instability of the foot. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1965 Nov;47(4):678–685. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Fridén T., Zätterström R., Lindstrand A., Moritz U. A stabilometric technique for evaluation of lower limb instabilities. Am J Sports Med. 1989 Jan-Feb;17(1):118–122. doi: 10.1177/036354658901700120. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Garrick J. G., Requa R. K. Role of external support in the prevention of ankle sprains. Med Sci Sports. 1973 Fall;5(3):200–203. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Garrick J. G., Requa R. K. The epidemiology of foot and ankle injuries in sports. Clin Sports Med. 1988 Jan;7(1):29–36. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Garrick J. G. The frequency of injury, mechanism of injury, and epidemiology of ankle sprains. Am J Sports Med. 1977 Nov-Dec;5(6):241–242. doi: 10.1177/036354657700500606. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Glick J. M., Gordon R. B., Nishimoto D. The prevention and treatment of ankle injuries. Am J Sports Med. 1976 Jul-Aug;4(4):136–141. doi: 10.1177/036354657600400402. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Goldie P. A., Evans O. M., Bach T. M. Steadiness in one-legged stance: development of a reliable force-platform testing procedure. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1992 Apr;73(4):348–354. doi: 10.1016/0003-9993(92)90008-k. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Horak F. B., Nashner L. M. Central programming of postural movements: adaptation to altered support-surface configurations. J Neurophysiol. 1986 Jun;55(6):1369–1381. doi: 10.1152/jn.1986.55.6.1369. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Miller E. A., Hergenroeder A. C. Prophylactic ankle bracing. Pediatr Clin North Am. 1990 Oct;37(5):1175–1185. doi: 10.1016/s0031-3955(16)36982-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Myburgh K. H., Vaughan C. L., Isaacs S. K. The effects of ankle guards and taping on joint motion before, during, and after a squash match. Am J Sports Med. 1984 Nov-Dec;12(6):441–446. doi: 10.1177/036354658401200607. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Nashner L. M., Shumway-Cook A., Marin O. Stance posture control in select groups of children with cerebral palsy: deficits in sensory organization and muscular coordination. Exp Brain Res. 1983;49(3):393–409. doi: 10.1007/BF00238781. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rovere G. D., Clarke T. J., Yates C. S., Burley K. Retrospective comparison of taping and ankle stabilizers in preventing ankle injuries. Am J Sports Med. 1988 May-Jun;16(3):228–233. doi: 10.1177/036354658801600305. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Shumway-Cook A., Horak F. B. Assessing the influence of sensory interaction of balance. Suggestion from the field. Phys Ther. 1986 Oct;66(10):1548–1550. doi: 10.1093/ptj/66.10.1548. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Tropp H., Askling C., Gillquist J. Prevention of ankle sprains. Am J Sports Med. 1985 Jul-Aug;13(4):259–262. doi: 10.1177/036354658501300408. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Tropp H., Ekstrand J., Gillquist J. Stabilometry in functional instability of the ankle and its value in predicting injury. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1984;16(1):64–66. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Tropp H., Odenrick P. Postural control in single-limb stance. J Orthop Res. 1988;6(6):833–839. doi: 10.1002/jor.1100060607. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]