title: Prophylactic ankle braces and star excursion balance measures in healthy volunteers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effects of prophylactic ankle braces on lower extremity functional performance in healthy participants have not been studied extensively.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine if prophylactic ankle braces affected multidirectional reach distances during a test of dynamic balance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Crossover.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six healthy, physically active volunteers (18 men, 18 women; age = 23.6 +/- 2.7 years, height = 173.8 +/- 9.3 cm, mass = 74.4 +/- 12.7 kg, reach-leg length = 91.9 +/- 5.1 cm).
  
  
  METHODS
  Volunteers performed balance testing in 3 conditions: unbraced, while wearing a semirigid ankle brace, and while wearing a lace-up ankle brace.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the Star Excursion Balance Test, calculating the mean of 3 attempts in 8 directions (anterior, anterior-medial, medial, posterior-medial, posterior, posterior-lateral, lateral, and anterior-lateral), normalized by the participant's reach-leg length. Data were collected after 6 practice attempts for each of the conditions according to a balanced Latin square.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bracing condition had no effect (P > .05) on any of the Star Excursion Balance Test directional measures. The largest mean difference due to bracing was 2.5% between the lace-up brace condition and the control in the posterior reach direction. This indicates that the actual reach differences due to bracing were less than 5.08 cm (2 inches) in length.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians can be confident that the prophylactic use of ankle braces does not disrupt lower extremity dynamic balance during a reaching task in healthy participants.
authors.affiliation: Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, USA. lisa.hardy@wmich.edu
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: Kellie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huxel
authors.forename: Jody
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brucker
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nesser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000842:Ankle; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001915:Braces; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D004856:Postural Balance; D011187:Posture