Objectives:To examine the effect of six weeks of strength and proprioception training on eversion to inversion isokinetic strength ratios (E/I ratios) in subjects with unilateral functional ankle instability.Methods:Thirty eight subjects were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: strength training (S); proprioception training (P); strength + proprioception training (B); control (C). Isokinetic strength was tested before and after training using a Kin Com 125 automatic positioning isokinetic dynamometer. Subtalar joint eversion and inversion motions were tested both concentrically and eccentrically through a range of motion involving 40°. All peak torque and average torque values were normalised for body mass. E/I ratios were calculated from average torque and peak torque measures by taking the concentric eversion value and combining it with the eccentric inversion value. Data were analysed using a mixed model analysis of variance with repeated measures on the test factor. Average torque and peak torque E/I ratios at 30 and 120°/s were analysed separately.Results:There were no significant differences in average torque and peak torque E/I ratios of the functionally unstable ankle for any of the groups after training compared with before.Conclusions:Six weeks of strength and proprioception training (either alone or combined) had no effect on isokinetic measures of strength in subjects with self reported unilateral functional instability. Further studies examining this agonist (concentric) to antagonist (eccentric) muscle group strength ratio are needed.

Ith chronic ankle dysfunction is a challenging task. Current methods of assessing ankle ligamentous laxity are subjective in nature and limit our ability to identify the site and extent of instability; therefore, a need exists for objective laxity measurements. The purpose of this study was to determine whether subjects with self-reported, functional ankle instability (FAI) demonstrated increased mechanical laxity when tested with instrumented arthrometry and stress radiography. Methods: Both ankles were tested in 51 subjects with self-reported unilateral FAI. An instrumented ankle arthrometer measured ankle-subtalar joint motion for total anteroposterior (AP) displacement (mm) during loading at 125 N and total inversion-eversion (I-E) rotation (degrees of ROM) during loading at 4 N·m. The Telos GA-II/E device provided either anterior or lateral stress (15 kp) while fluoroscopic radiographs were recorded for anterior displacement (mm) and talar tilt (degrees). Results: The arthrometry measurements of anterior and total AP displacement and the radiographic measurements of anterior displacement were greater (P < 0.05) in the FAI ankles when compared with the uninjured ankles. There were no differences in total I-E rotation, inversion rotation, or talar tilt between ankles when analyzed with either measurement technique. Conclusion: The ability to objectively measure mechanical instability in the functionally unstable ankle is important to understanding the nature and cause of the instability. Ankle arthrometry and stress radiographic measurements are objective assessment tools for mechanical laxity. Despite finding greater laxity in the functionally unstable ankle, the clinical significance of the observed displacement remains unanswered. Further research is needed to determine the amount of laxity that constitutes mechanical instability and how this relates to FAI....

Soccer participation, especially among females, is growing in popularity in the United States. Purposeful heading, an important soccer skill, has recently been scrutinized for safety reasons. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was a relationship between purposeful heading and scores on cognitive function and balance in high-school and collegiate female soccer players. Prior to and following the soccer season, all players and members of the control group were given a battery of neuropsychological and balance tests. There were no significant correlations found between the total number of game headers and performance on either balance or neuropsychological testing. Differences were noted in adjusted balance scores postseason between the collegiate players and the other two groups. However, no differences were revealed in neurocognitive performance between the three groups.

Context: Given the frequency of ankle sprains, especially in the athletic population, prevention is a primary task of athletic trainers and other sports health care professionals. Objective: To discuss the current evidence as it relates to prophylactic programs for the prevention of ankle sprains and to provide critical interpretation of the evidence supporting and refuting the implementation of preventive programs. Conclusions: External prophylactic supports and preventive exercise programs are effective for reducing the risk of ankle sprains in both uninjured and previously injured populations. Ankle bracing appears to offer the best outcomes in terms of cost and risk reduction. However, there remains a paucity of well-designed, prospective randomized controlled trials relevant to the primary prevention of lateral ankle sprains, especially across a range of sport settings.

Computerized neuropsychological (NP) testing has evolved into an important tool for clinicians in the assessment of sport-related concussions. The importance of having a reliable baseline test score for comparison post concussion is critical; yet, the stability of these baseline measurements has not been well established. The purpose of this study was to examine the consistency of the measurements derived from the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metric (ANAM) test battery over a series of repeated trials, in an attempt to determine at what point the test scores stabilized. A cohort of 25 recreationally active collegiate students, free from mild head injury, volunteered for the study. Throughput score (measures of performance efficiency) stability was assessed for the computerized NP tests using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Average throughput scores for all five test trials were simple reaction time (SRT) = 235, matching to sample (MSP) = 41, continuous performance test (CPT) = 108, math processing (MTH) = 24, and Sternberg memory (STN) = 89, and these are within the range of those previously reported. Results show that all four of the ICCs were in the excellent range of agreement (i.e., ≥ .75), and more importantly, the statistical comparisons of the ICCs show that there was no significant difference between the ICCs. Consequently, results serve to show that two time periods are sufficient to obtain stable NP results, and thus clinicians can feel comfortable relying on a two-score baseline test for follow-up comparison.