Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of balance surface type on muscle activity of
ankle stabilizing muscles in subjects with chronic ankle instability. DESIGN:
Case-controlled, repeated-measures study design. SUBJECTS:
Twenty-eight subjects
with chronic ankle instability and 28 healthy controls.
METHODS: Subjects
performed a barefooted single-legged stance on uniaxial and multidirectional
unstable surfaces. Muscle activity of the mm. peroneus longus/brevis, tibialis
anterior, gastrocnemius medialis were registered using surface electromyography.
Mixed model analysis was used to explore differences in muscle activity between
subjects with chronic ankle instability and controls, and the effect of surface
type on muscle activity levels within subjects with chronic ankle instability.
RESULTS: No differences were found between subjects with chronic ankle
instability and healthy controls. Within subjects with chronic ankle instability,
balancing along a frontal axis and on the Both Sides Up evoked overall highest
muscle activity level, and the firm surface the least. Balancing on the firm
surface showed the lowest tibialis anterior/peroneus longus muscle ratio,
followed by balancing along a frontal axis and on the Airex pad. CONCLUSION:
Clinicians can use these findings to improve the focus of balance training
programmes by gradually progressing in difficulty level based on muscle
activation levels taking co-contraction ratios into account.

Langue : ANGLAIS