Protection and performance effects of ankle bracing.
We investigated the protection afforded to ankle ligaments by ankle supports and the extent to which these were associated with a diminution of motor performance. Eleven volunteers were subjected to a 10 degrees tilt in four directions (inversion, eversion, plantar flexion and dorsiflexion) on a rocking platform. Three-dimensional videography was used to record complex ankle kinematics. The prophylactic ankle supports used were a semi-rigid brace, a lace-up cloth brace, and taping. The ankle supports provided similar initial protection against acute ligamentous inversion sprains. The semi-rigid ankle brace produced a smaller restriction of plantar flexion-dorsiflexion movement than either the lace-up cloth brace or taping.
Nishikawa
T
T
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe University School of Medicine, 7-5-2 Kusunokicho, Chuoku, Kobe 650-0017, Japan. nishikaw@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
Kurosaka
M
M
Mizuno
K
K
Grabiner
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000842:Ankle / Q000502:physiology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001915:Braces; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*