Balance and recovery from a perturbation are impaired in people with functional ankle instability.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if differences in balance and recovery would be found between controls and participants with unilateral or bilateral functional ankle instability (FAI).


METHODS
Cross-Sectional Study.


METHODS
University laboratory and Community premises.


METHODS
Twenty healthy participants(C), 19 participants with unilateral FAI [both the uninjured (UC) and unstable ankle (UI) were included] and 22 participants with bilateral FAI (BI).


METHODS
Balance was measured in single leg stance as: number of part foot lifts in 30 s; magnitude of medio-lateral ankle movement in two foot positions; and ability to balance on the ball of the foot. Recovery was determined by time to return to baseline medio-lateral ankle movement after a 15 degree inversion perturbation.


RESULTS
The controls lifted the foot fewer times than the other three groups [C = 12.7 +/- 1.8 (mean +/- SE) foot lifts, UC = 22.9 +/- 2.5, UI = 25.1 +/- 2.3, and BI = 21.1 +/- 2.2, t-test, P = 0.006] and recovered significantly faster than the unstable ankles [C = 1.53 +/- 0.42 sec (median +/- SE), UI = 2.34 +/- 0.30 sec, BI = 2.15 +/- 0.70 sec, P < 0.02]. With FAI measured by the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool, the external control group balanced on demi-pointe better than both instability groups (P < 0.05), and recovered quicker than all groups.


CONCLUSIONS
There are differences in balance and recovery between external controls and participants with both unilateral and bilateral FAI but not between the legs of participants with unilateral FAI.
Hiller
Claire E
CE
School of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Refshauge
Kathryn M
KM
Herbert
Robert D
RD
Kilbreath
Sharon L
SL
D000293:Adolescent; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011998:Recreation; D013177:Sports