Balance Deficits With Chronic Ankle Instability
People with instability of a joint lose out in three ways. First, an unstable joint loses receptor activity. this receptor feedback is designed to monitor what happens with that joint’s position and dynamic movement. Second, this loss of receptor feedback will result in damage to the joint surface, accelerating degeneration, arthritis, bone spurs, or stiffness. Third, without information coming from the joint, the body’s nervous system cannot tell what is happening with the joint. You lose balance. A wobbly ankle joint won’t allow the minute corrections to happen with the leg muscles and the nervous system.
Todd Lloyd, DC, Santa Rosa, CA
KEY POINTS
Up to 73% of individuals who sprain their ankles have residual symptoms including pain, repeated sprains, and episodes of “giving away”.
The risk of developing osteoarthritis increases as the joint becomes unstable over time and continues to “roll” past its physiological limits.
When measured by time to stabilization, dynamic balance in double-leg stance appeared to be affected in individuals with chronic ankle instability.
Compared with individuals with stable ankles, individuals with chronic ankle instability had longer time-to-stabilization values in the anterior-posterior direction after tibial nerve stimulation in a double-leg stance.
The sensorimotor system may be able to compensate for deficiencies at the ankle by relying on sensory input from and movement strategies at the hip and knee.
Clinicians should focus on promoting rapid and appropriate stabilization following external perturbation during rehabilitation.
Journal of Athletic Training
J Athl Train. 2007 Jul-Sep;42(3): 367-373
