Impaired control of weight bearing ankle inversion in subjects with chronic ankle instability.

Background: Previous studies have proposed that evertor muscle weakness represents an important factor affecting chronic ankle instability. For research purposes, ankle evertor strength is assessed by means of isokinetic evaluations. However, this methodology is constraining for daily clinical use. The present study proposes to assess ankle evertor muscle weakness using a new procedure, one that is easily accessible for rehabilitation specialists. To do so, we compared weight bearing ankle inversion control between patients suffering from chronic ankle instability and healthy subjects.

Methods: 12 healthy subjects and 11 patients suffering from chronic ankle instability conducted repetitions of one leg weight bearing ankle inversion on a specific ankle destabilization device equipped with a gyroscope. Ankle inversion control was performed by means of an eccentric recruitment of evertor muscles. Instructions were to perform, as slow as possible, the ankle inversion while resisting against full body weight applied on the tested ankle.

Results: Data clearly showed higher angular inversion velocity peaks in patients suffering from chronic ankle instability. This illustrates an impaired control of weight bearing ankle inversion and, by extension, an eccentric weakness of evertor muscles.

Interpretation: The present study supports the hypothesis of a link between the decrease of ankle joint stability and evertor muscle weakness. Moreover, it appears that the new parameter is of use in a clinical setting.