Muscle Strength Deficit though Intact Proprioception after Lateral Ankle Sprain without Persistent Instability

Abstract

Background Lateral ankle sprain is one of the most common injuries in competitive sports. Previous studies which investigated muscle strength and proprioception (joint position sense) focused on subjects who sustained ankle sprain with instability. It is also important to investigate strength deficits and proprioception in subjects with a history of ankle sprain without instability. Therefore the aim of the study is to investigate proprioception and muscle strength deficits in athletes with lateral ankle sprain.

Methods Twenty-four male athletes with a history of lateral ankle sprain and 24 age-matched controls (mean age of 22.42±4.13 years, mean height of 173±5.73 cm, and mean weight of 71.20±7.55 Kg) participated in this cross-sectional study. Peak torque and peak torque ratio at speeds of 30 and 120°/s for concentric and eccentric ankle inversion/eversion were evaluated using an isokinetic dynamometer. The joint position sense of the ankle joint was evaluated using an active angle reproduction test.

Result Peak torque produced was significantly less in subjects with history of ankle sprain in concentric inversion 30°/s(t(47)=4.11; p=0.000, Cohen’s d=1.29), concentric inversion 120°/s (t(47)=3.01; p=0.006, Cohen’s d=1.13), concentric eversion 30°/s (t(47)=3.85; p=0.001, Cohen’s d=1.24) and concentric eversion 120°/s (t(47)=3.15; p=0.005, Cohen’s d=1.09). At the same time there was no significant difference observed in eccentric eversion peak torque in both speed (eccentric eversion 30°/s p=0.079; eccentric eversion 120°/s p=0.867) between experimental and control group. No significant difference was found in the joint position sense in the maximal active inversion −5° position (p=0.312) and the 15° inversion position (P=0.386) between both group.

Conclusion The study’s results reported a significantly less peak torque of invertors and evertors during concentric movements in athletes with history of ankle sprain. At the same time, no significant difference reported in the evertor/invertor peak torque ratio, and active joint position sense between the 2 groups.

Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund Die Distorsion des oberen Sprunggelenks ist eine der häufigsten Verletzungen im Leistungssport. In früheren Studien zu Muskelkraft und Propriozeption der Gelenkposition standen Patienten im Fokus, die eine Distorsion des Sprunggelenks mit nachfolgender Instabilität erlitten hatten. Wichtig ist jedoch auch die Untersuchung von Kraftdefiziten und Propriozeption bei Personen mit einer Distorsion des Sprunggelenks ohne nachfolgende Instabilität. Ziel dieser Studie ist es daher, Propriozeption und Muskelkraftdefizite bei Sportlern nach einer Distorsion des Sprunggelenks zu untersuchen.

Methoden Vierundzwanzig Leistungssportler mit einer Distorsion des Sprunggelenks in der Anamnese und 24 altersgleiche Kontrollpersonen (mittleres Alter 22,42 ± 4,13 Jahre, mittlere Größe 173±5,73 cm und mittleres Gewicht 71,20±7,55 kg) nahmen an dieser Querschnittsstudie teil. Spitzendrehmoment und Spitzendrehmomentverhältnis bei Geschwindigkeiten von 30 und 120°/s für konzentrische und exzentrische Sprunggelenkinversion/-eversion wurden mit einem isokinetischen Dynamometer ausgewertet. Die Propriozeption der Gelenkposition des Sprunggelenks wurde mit einem aktiven Winkelwiedergabetest ausgewertet.

Ergebnis Das erzeugte Spitzendrehmoment war signifikant geringer bei Personen mit einer Distorsion des Sprunggelenks in der Anamnese bei konzentrischer Inversion 30°/s(t(47)=4,11; p=0,000, Cohens d=1,29), konzentrischer Inversion 120°/s (t(47)=3,01; p=0,006, Cohens d=1,13), konzentrisches Drehmoment 30°/s (t(47)=3,85; p=0,001, Cohens d=1,24) und konzentrisches Drehmoment 120°/s (t(47)=3,15; p=0,005, Cohen‘s d=1,09). Gleichzeitig wurde kein signifikanter Unterschied im Spitzen-Drehmoment des exzentrischen Drehmoments in beiden Drehzahlen (exzentrische Eversion 30°/s p=0,079; exzentrische Eversion 120°/s p=0,867) zwischen Prüf- und Kontrollgruppe beobachtet. Es wurde kein signifikanter Unterschied der Propriozeption der Gelenkposition in der maximalen aktiven Inversionsposition −5° (p=0,312) und der 15° Inversionsposition (P=0,386) zwischen beiden Gruppen festgestellt.

Schlussfolgerung Die Ergebnisse der Studie ergaben ein signifikant geringeres Spitzendrehmoment von Invertoren und Evertoren bei konzentrischen Bewegungen bei Leistungssportlern mit einer Distorsion des Sprunggelenks in der Anamnese. Gleichzeitig wurde kein signifikanter Unterschied im Verhältnis von Evertoren/Invertoren-Spitzendrehmoment und Propriozeption der Gelenkposition zwischen den beiden Gruppen festgestellt.

Key words

isokinetic strength testing - rehabilitation - rehabilitation outcome

Schlüsselwörter

Rehabilitationsziele - muskuloskeletale Erkrankungen - Physiotherapie

Publication History

Received: 02 July 2020

Accepted: 20 November 2020

Article published online:
22 January 2021

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