Reliability of reflex measurements and perceived instability following cutaneous stimulation during gait.

Individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) exhibit a variety of sensorimotor deficits which contribute to long-term health risks and lower overall health-related quality of life. Recent literature finds abnormal cutaneous reflex characteristics and perceptions of instability during gait among those with CAI. These may serve as important patient-specific outcome measures in diagnosing and monitoring the condition, however, the test-retest reliability of these measurements is still undetermined.

Contralateral cutaneous reflex modulation during gait in individuals with and without chronic ankle instability.

Introduction: Chronic ankle instability (CAI), a common seqeula to ankle injury is characterized by a variety of sensorimotor deficits extending beyond the previously injured limb. Cutaneous reflexes have been identified as a potential contributor to these functional limitations with recent studies identifying alterations in reflex patterns following sural nerve stimulation among those with CAI. To date, no studies have measured cutaneous reflexes of the unaffected limb in this population, therefore, the objective of this study was to measure contralateral cutaneous reflexes during gait in individuals with unilateral CAI and healthy controls.

Perceived ankle instability and cutaneous reflex modulation during gait.

Cutaneous reflex modulation during rhythmic ambulation is an important motor control mechanism to help minimize stumbling following an unexpected perturbation. Previous literature found individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) experience altered reflex patterns compared to healthy controls. Considering CAI is characterized by intermittent feelings of ankle instability, researchers have speculated that these alterations are related to perceived instability.

The role of sural nerve reflexes during drop-landing in subjects with and without chronic ankle instability.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the functional role of cutaneous reflexes during a single-leg drop-landing task among healthy, neurologically intact adults, and to identify whether individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) demonstrate altered reflexes and subsequent ankle kinematics. All subjects were physically active adults and were categorized as control (n = 10, Male = 6, Female = 4) or CAI (n = 9, Male = 4, Female = 5) depending on whether they scored a 0 or ≥ 11 on the Identification of Functional Ankle Instability questionnaire, respectively. Subjects performed 30-40 single-leg drop-landing trials from a platform set to the height of their tibial tuberosity.

Modulation of cutaneous reflexes during sidestepping in adult humans.

A common neural control mechanism coordinates various types of rhythmic locomotion performed in the sagittal plane, but it is unclear whether frontal plane movements show similar neural patterning in adult humans. The purpose of this study was to compare cutaneous reflex modulation patterns evoked during sagittal and frontal plane rhythmic movements. Eight healthy, neurologically intact adults (three males, five females) walked and sidestepped on a treadmill at approximately 1 Hz.

Using Normative Data and Unilateral Hopping Tests to Reduce Ambiguity in Return-to-Play Decisions.

Context: After a lower extremity injury, patients often return to sport (RTS) when the injured limb's performance on unilateral hopping tests is similar to that of the uninjured limb. However, the exact target symmetry value patients must reach before the RTS is unclear.

Objective: To identify variables that predict limb symmetry index (LSI) values on 6 unilateral hopping tests in healthy, physically active adults.

Effects of chronic ankle instability on cutaneous reflex modulation during walking.

Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is characterized by persistent giving way at the ankle following an acute lateral ankle sprain and is associated with an early onset of osteoarthritis. Researchers have reported that the cutaneous afferent pathway from certain leg muscles is modified in people with CAI while in a seated position. However, we do not know if these reflex modulations persist during functional activities.

Assessing Outcomes in People With Chronic Ankle Instability: The Ability of Functional Performance Tests to Measure Deficits in Physical Function and Perceived Instability.

Study Design Laboratory-based, cross-sectional study. Background Functional performance tests (FPTs) assess short bouts of unilateral hops for either distance or speed. More research is needed to identify specific FPTs that may be useful for measuring asymmetry outcomes related to functional performance and perceived instability deficits in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI).

Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function Item Bank, Version 1.0: Physical Function Assessment for Athletic Patient Populations.

Context: The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) item banks have been validated for general populations, but their application to high-functioning patient populations remains speculative.

Objective: To examine the measurement properties of the PROMIS physical function item bank, version 1.0, when applied to individuals representing high levels of physical ability.