Document Type : Original article
Authors
1
Department of Sports Biomechanics and Injuries, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
2
Department of Sports Biomechanics and Injuries, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran Department of Sports Biomechanics and Rehabilitation, Kinesiology Research Center, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
3
Department of Sports Biomechanics and Injuries, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Birjand University, Birjand, Iran
10.22037/sjrm.2025.117378.3316
Abstract
Background and Aims: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is one of the most common sports injuries. The failure of current treatment methods for individuals with CAI suggests that the underlying mechanisms of this condition should be studied as a central impairment. Examining the phases of gait initiation (GI) provides a safe option for assessing neuromuscular control mechanisms, particularly since the durations of the anticipatory postural adjustments (APA) and compensatory postural adjustments (CPA) phases have been less explored. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the duration of APA and CPA phases during gait initiation between individuals with CAI and healthy controls.
Materials and Methods: Thirty-eight participants (19 in each group) participated in this study. Participants stood on a force plate and began walking upon hearing an auditory cue. The duration of the GI phase, as well as the APA and CPA phases, was calculated using MATLAB software
Results: The results showed that the GI phase duration was significantly shorter in the CAI group compared to the healthy group (p = 0.018). Similarly, the APA phase duration was shorter in the CAI group than in the healthy group (p = 0.009). However, no significant difference was observed in the CPA phase duration between the two groups (p = 0.215).
Conclusion: These findings indicate that individuals with CAI demonstrate altered strategies in neuromuscular control, particularly in supraspinal pathways, as evidenced by the reduced duration of the APA and GI phases. The unaffected CPA phase duration in individuals with CAI may result from motor learning and their prior experience in utilizing compensatory mechanisms in critical situations.
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