Acute effects of kinesiology tape on dynamic balance control in chronic ankle instability: An exploratory study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the acute effect of the four-strip kinesiology taping (KT) technique on dynamic balance control in the Y Balance Test (YBT), and to explore the relationship between the YBT and Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) scores in individuals with and without chronic ankle instability (CAI). METHODS: 16 CAI and 16 non-CAI participants were involved. Two groups completed the YBT in the no-tape barefoot and the KT condition at random. The CAIT was completed on the first day. Bonferroni test was used to analyze YBT scores in three directions for post hoc analysis. Spearman's correlation was used to analyze the relationship between YBT scores in the no-tape barefoot condition and CAIT scores. RESULTS: This KT application significantly improved YBT performance. The YBT scores in the anterior direction (YBT-A), posteromedial direction (YBT-PM), and posterolateral direction (YBT-PL) for the CAI group were significantly improved after taping. However, in the non-CAI group, only YBT-PM score was significantly improved after taping. Three YBT scores were all moderately correlated with the CAIT score. CONCLUSION: This KT technique can immediately improve dynamic balance in CAI patients. Dynamic balance performance was moderately related to the degree of self-perceived instability in individuals with and without CAI.

Effect of Different Landing Heights and Loads on Ankle Inversion Proprioception during Landing in Individuals with and without Chronic Ankle Instability.

Proprioception is essential for neuromuscular control in relation to sport injury and performance. The effect of landing heights and loads on ankle inversion proprioceptive performance in individuals with or without chronic ankle instability (CAI) may be important but are still unclear. Forty-three participants (21 CAI and 22 non-CAI) volunteered for this study. The Ankle Inversion Discrimination Apparatus for Landing (AIDAL), with one foot landing on a horizontal surface and the test foot landing on an angled surface (10°, 12°, 14°, 16°), was utilized to assess ankle proprioception during landing. All participants performed the task from a landing height of 10 cm and 20 cm with 100% and 110% body weight loading. The four testing conditions were randomized. A repeated measures ANOVA was used for data analysis. The result showed that individuals with CAI performed significantly worse across the four testing conditions (p = 0.018). In addition, an increased landing height (p = 0.010), not loading (p > 0.05), significantly impaired ankle inversion discrimination sensitivity. In conclusion, compared to non-CAI, individuals with CAI showed significantly worse ankle inversion proprioceptive performance during landing. An increased landing height, not loading, resulted in decreased ankle proprioceptive sensitivity. These findings suggest that landing from a higher platform may increase the uncertainty of judging ankle positions in space, which may increase the risk of ankle injury.

Impaired ankle inversion proprioception during walking is associated with fear of falling in older adults.

Background: Ankle proprioception plays a critical role in lower limb movement control. However, the relationship between ankle proprioception and fear of falling (FOF) in older people is still unclear. Objective: (1) This study aims to develop a new device for measuring ankle inversion proprioceptive discrimination sensitivity during walking, i.e., the Ankle Inversion Discrimination Apparatus-Walking (AIDAW), and assess the test-retest reliability of the AIDAW in both young and older adults; (2) to evaluate the discriminant validity of the measure by comparing ankle proprioception during walking between the two groups; and (3) to explore convergent validity by determining to what extent the AIDAW proprioceptive scores correlate with Fall Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) scores. Materials and methods: The AIDAW was purpose-built to test ankle inversion proprioceptive discrimination sensitivity during walking. The area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) was calculated as the proprioceptive discrimination score. In total, 54 adults volunteered. Test-retest reliability was evaluated in 12 young and 12 older adults, and another 15 young and 15 older adults completed the comparison study. FOF was assessed by using the FES-I. Results: The test-retest reliability intraclass correlation coefficient ICC (3,1) value for the whole group was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.52-0.89). The ICC values of the young and older groups were 0.81 (95% CI: 0.46-0.94) and 0.71 (95% CI: 0.26-0.91), respectively. The Minimal Detectable Change with 90% confidence (MDC90) values for the young and older groups were 0.03 and 0.11, respectively. There was a significant difference between the AIDAW proprioceptive sensitivity scores for the young and older groups (0.78 ± 0.04 vs. 0.72 ± 0.08, F = 5.06, p = 0.033). Spearman's correlation analysis showed that the FES-I scores were significantly and negatively correlated with the AIDAW scores (rho = -0.61, p = 0.015), with higher FOF associated with worse ankle proprioception. Conclusion: The AIDAW is a reliable and valid device for measuring ankle proprioception during walking in both young and older adults. Ankle inversion proprioceptive discrimination sensitivity during walking was found to be impaired in the elderly compared to young adults. This impairment was found to be strongly associated with FOF, suggesting that assessment and intervention for ankle proprioception in this population are needed to reduce the risk of falls.

Can ankle proprioception be improved by repeated exposure to an ankle movement discrimination task requiring step-landing in individuals with and without CAI?

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether individuals with and without Chronic Ankle Instability (CAI) can improve their ankle movement discrimination sensitivity by repeated exposure to an ankle proprioceptive task requiring landing. DESIGN: A repeated-measures study. SETTING: University laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: 24 university students, 11 with CAI and 13 without CAI. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ankle proprioception was measured using the Ankle Inversion Discrimination Apparatus for Landing (AIDAL) over 3 occasions: AIDAL-1 and AIDAL-2 separated with a 10-min interval, and AIDAL-3 at 24 h post AIDAL-2. RESULTS: Better Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) questionnaire scores were correlated with higher AIDAL scores (rho = 0.465, p = 0.022). Two-way ANOVA showed a significant CAI main effect for step landing ankle inversion proprioception, with CAI worse (F = 8.410, p = 0.008), but the Time main effect across the 3 AIDAL tests was not significant (F = 1.552, p = 0.223). CONCLUSIONS: The AIDAL assessment was sensitive in terms of discriminating between individuals with or without CAI. However, the step-down component of the AIDAL proprioceptive task was possibly too challenging. For CAI, physical therapy exercises should take into account the difficulty of the training task, so that a demonstrable learning effect can be achieved.

Kinesiology tape length and ankle inversion proprioception at step-down landing in individuals with chronic ankle instability.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of different lengths of kinesiology tape (KT) on ankle inversion proprioceptive performance in individuals with or without chronic ankle instability (CAI). DESIGN: A repeated measures study. METHODS: Fifteen participants with unilateral CAI and fifteen participants with no CAI volunteered. The Ankle Inversion Discrimination Apparatus for Landing (AIDAL) was used to measure ankle proprioceptive acuity. All participants were tested under four KT conditions: no tape (baseline), short tape length (only foot and ankle complex involved), mid length (below the knee) and long length (above the knee) taping. After the baseline test, participants underwent the 3 different taping tests in a random order. RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVA indicated that, compared to those without CAI, individuals with CAI performed significantly worse across the 4 different conditions (F = 8.196, p = 0.008). There was a significant KT main effect (F = 7.489, p < 0.001) and a significant linear effect (F = 17.083, p < 0.001), suggesting that KT significantly improved ankle proprioceptive performance in landing, and with longer tape length there was greater proprioceptive enhancement. Post-hoc analysis showed that for the CAI group, both mid length (p = 0.013, 95%CI = -0.063, -0.009) and long length (p = 0.010, 95%CI = -0.067, -0.011) taping can significantly improve ankle proprioceptive performance compared to no tape, whereas for the non-CAI group, ankle proprioceptive acuity was significantly improved only with long length taping (p = 0.007, 95%CI = -0.080, -0.015). CONCLUSIONS: KT can be used to improve ankle inversion proprioceptive performance during landing in both individuals with and without CAI and increasing tape length may achieve greater proprioceptive improvement.