title: The influence of foot positioning on ankle sprains.
abstract: The goal of this study was to examine the influence of changes in foot positioning at touch-down on ankle sprain occurrence. Muscle model driven computer simulations of 10 subjects performing the landing phase of a side-shuffle movement were performed. The relative subtalar joint and talocural joint angles at touchdown were varied, and each subject-specific simulation was exposed to a set of perturbed floor conditions. The touchdown subtalar joint angle was not found to have a considerable influence on sprain occurrence, while increased touchdown plantar flexion caused increased ankle sprain occurrences. Increased touchdown plantar flexion may be the mechanism which causes ankles with a history of ankle sprains to have an increased susceptibility to subsequent sprains. This finding may also reveal a mechanism by which taping of a sprained ankle or the application of an ankle brace leads to decreased ankle sprain susceptibility.
authors.affiliation: Human Performance Laboratory, University of Calgary, Canada. ian.wright@adidasus.com
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Neptune
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van den Bogert
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Nigg
mesh_terms: D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001915:Braces; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D009068:Movement; D012008:Recurrence; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013380:Subtalar Joint / Q000503:physiopathology