Fibular taping does not alter lower extremity spinal reflex excitability in individuals with chronic ankle instability.

OBJECTIVE: To determine changes in spinal reflex excitability of the soleus and fibularis longus muscles before and after fibular taping intervention. METHODS: Twenty-one individuals (age = 23.4 ± 2.7 y, height = 171.0 ± 12.8 cm, mass = 69.7 ± 11.8 kg) with chronic ankle instability (CAI) and at least 5° ankle dorsiflexion asymmetry volunteered for this randomised crossover design study. Each participant received a fibular taping with tension or fibular taping without tension during separate sessions. Spinal reflex excitability of the soleus and fibularis longus was determined by obtaining maximum values for H-reflex (Hoffmann reflex) and maximum compound muscle action potential (Mmax), which was expressed as a ratio (H/M ratio). Measures were obtained immediately before and after a fibular taping intervention. RESULTS: The application of tape to the fibula, regardless of tension, did not produce a change in spinal reflex excitability for the soleus (F1,39 = .01, P = .91) or fibularis longus (F1,39 = .001, P = .99). CONCLUSIONS: Fibular taping with and without tension did not result in an immediate change in spinal reflex excitability of the soleus or fibularis longus in individuals with CAI. Although fibular taping has been shown to reduce recurrent ankle sprains in individuals with CAI, the mechanism of effectiveness may not involve an immediate increase in spinal reflex excitability.

Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion influences dynamic balance in individuals with chronic ankle instability.

UNLABELLED: PURPOSEBACKGROUND: Individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) often have impairments in ankle range of motion (ROM) and balance. There is limited evidence that these impairments are related in individuals with CAI. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between ankle dorsiflexion ROM and dynamic balance in individuals with CAI. METHODS: Forty-five participants (age=23.2±2.8 y, height=172.1±10.8 cm, mass=70.6±13.3 kg, Foot and Ankle Ability Measure Sport= 71.2±11.7, Modified Ankle Instability Instrument= 6.4±1.3) volunteered for this study. Ankle dorsiflexion ROM was measured in a weight-bearing position while dynamic balance was measured using the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions. Linear regression was used to determine the relationship between ankle dorsiflexion ROM and measures of dynamic balance. RESULTS: There were fair positive correlations between dorsiflexion ROM and the anterior reach direction (r = .55, r(2) = .31, P < .001), posterolateral reach direction (r = .29, r(2) = .09, P = .03), and the composite SEBT scores (r = .30, r(2) = .09, P= .02). There was little or no relationship between ankle dorsiflexion and the posteromedial reach direction (r = .01, r(2) = .001, P = .47). CONCLUSIONS: Ankle dorsiflexion ROM can influence dynamic balance, specifically the anterior reach portion of the SEBT. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Individuals with CAI who demonstrate impairments in dorsiflexion ROM may also demonstrate difficulty with portions of the SEBT. Clinicians may use this information to better optimize rehabilitation programs that address ankle dorsiflexion ROM and dynamic balance. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5.

Fibular taping does not influence ankle dorsiflexion range of motion or balance measures in individuals with chronic ankle instability.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of fibular taping on ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM) and dynamic balance in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). DESIGN: Single-blind, randomized crossover. METHODS: Twenty-three individuals (age=23.4 ± 2.5 years, height=171.6 ± 12.4 cm, mass=71.5±13.1 kg) with CAI were allocated to either a fibular taping intervention or sham taping intervention (tape applied without tension) over the course of two visits. Weight-bearing ankle dorsiflexion ROM and components of the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) were measured before and after intervention. RESULTS: There was not a significant change in ankle dorsiflexion ROM when comparing the taping interventions (F1,43=1.03, P=.32), but both interventions resulted in a small increase (F1,43=8.07, P=.007) in dorsiflexion ROM (pre=36.7° ± 6.9°, post=37.7° ± 6.2°). This increase in ROM did not exceed the established minimal detectable change for dorsiflexion ROM. Fibular taping with tension produced an increase (F1,41=5.84, P=.02) (pre=69.0 ± 9.1%, post=70.6±8.6%) in posterolateral reach distance when compared to taping without tension (pre=72.7 ± 11.0%, post=71.4 ± 9.6%), but this increase did not exceed the established minimal detectable change. There was not a significant change in dynamic balance between groups for the anterior (F1,41=2.33, P=.14) and posteromedial (F1,41=.41, P=.53) reach directions. CONCLUSIONS: Although small changes in ankle dorsiflexion ROM and posterolateral reach distances were observed, these changes did not exceed established minimal detectable change values for these measures. These results suggest that the benefits of fibular taping are not related to an increase in ankle dorsiflexion ROM or dynamic balance.

Surface muscle pressure as a measure of active and passive behavior of muscles during gait.

While surface electromyography (SEMG) can accurately register electrical activity of muscles during gait, there are no methods to estimate muscular force non-invasively. To better understand the mechanical behavior of muscle, we evaluated surface muscle pressure (SMP) in conjunction with SEMG. Changes in anterior thigh radial pressure during isometric contractions and gait were registered by pressure sensors on the limb. During isometric knee extensions by a single subject, SMP waveforms correlated well with SEMG (r=0.97), and SEMG onsets preceded those of SMP by 35-40 ms. SMP and SEMG signals were simultaneously recorded from the quadriceps of 10 healthy subjects during gait at speeds of 0.4, 0.8, 1.1, 1.4 and 2.2m/s. Muscle activity onset and cessation times were objectively determined for both modalities, and results showed high intra-class correlations. SMP waveforms were highly consistent from stride to stride, while SEMG waveforms varied widely. SEMG waveforms were typically brief, while SMP waveforms tended to be biphasic and outlasted the SEMG by approximately 40% of gait cycle at all speeds. These results are consistent with mechanical models of muscle, and demonstrate the use of SMP to estimate the timing of knee extensor muscle stiffness during gait.