Long-term impact of ankle sprains on postural control and fascial densification.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of a past ankle sprain (AS) on postural control and fascial changes in the adjacent body segment.


METHODS
20 young, healthy subjects with a history (≥6 months) of significant (Grades 2, 3) lateral ASs and 20 controls with no history of AS were recruited to cross-sectional case-control study. All subjects performed the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT). The Stecco method was used to evaluate fascial densification in the calf and upper foot areas.


RESULTS
The leg with the AS in the study group vs. the right leg in the control group exhibited significant differences (lower scores of SEBT test in the AS group) for the following directions: anterior (p < 0.001), antero-lateral (p < 0.001), posterior (P = 0.028), postero-medial (P = 0.001), medial (P = 0.001), antero-medial (p < 0.001). A comparison between the leg with an AS in the study group and the right leg in the control group showed a significantly high prevalence of fascial densification for the talus internal rotation (p = 0.014), talus retromotion (p = 0.001), talus lateral (p = 0.040) and pes external rotation (p = 0.060) points.


CONCLUSIONS
There are long term effects of an AS on postural control and on the sensitivity and movability of the fascia in the calf and foot.
Physical Therapy Department, Recanati School for Community Health Professions, Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel. Electronic address: kalichman@hotmail.com.
Leonid
L
Kalichman
Physical Therapy Department, Recanati School for Community Health Professions, Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Hila
H
Lachman
Physical Therapy Department, Recanati School for Community Health Professions, Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Naama
N
Freilich
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000842:Ankle / Q000503:physiopathology; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005205:Fascia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D055815:Young Adult
Ankle sprain; Case-control study; Fascia; Postural control