Prophylactic ankle bracing reduces rearfoot motion during sudden inversion

Prophylactic ankle bracing reduces rearfoot motion during sudden inversion
Published article online:
26 Jun 2006
Issue online:
09 May 2007
Accepted for publication 28 March 2006
To cite this article: M. L. Cordova, J. L. Dorrough, K. Kious, C. D. Ingersoll, M. A. Merrick (2007)
Prophylactic ankle bracing reduces rearfoot motion during sudden inversion
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports 17 (3), 216Ò222.
doi:10.1111/j.1600-0838.2006.00561.x
Blackwell Synergy

M. L. Cordova11Department of Kinesiology, Biodynamics Research Laboratory, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223 USA, , J. L. Dorrough22North Mississippi Medical Center, Tupelo, MS 38801 USA, , K. Kious33Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, Dordt College, Soiux Center, IA 51250, USA, , C. D. Ingersoll44Department of Human Services, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 USA, , M. A. Merrick55Athletic Training Division, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210-1234 USA

Corresponding author: Mitchell L. Cordova, Ph.D., ATC, FACSM, Chairperson & Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA. Tel: (704) 687-3176, Fax: (704) 687-3350, E-mail: mcordova@uncc.edu

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of ankle bracing on rearfoot angular displacement and angular velocity during a sudden inversion movement. A 1 ? 3 factorial design was used. The single independent variable was ankle brace condition with three levels: semi-rigid, lace-up and control. The two dependent variables were rearfoot average angular displacement and average angular velocity. Twenty-four healthy volunteers participated in this study. A motion analysis system was used to capture, model and calculate two-dimensional rearfoot motion while the subjects' ankle/foot complex was inverted to 35? on a platform device. All subjects performed five trials of each ankle brace condition, and the average of these trials was used for statistical analysis. The semi-rigid brace significantly reduced rearfoot angular displacement and angular velocity compared with the lace-up (P<0.05) and control conditions (P<0.05). Additionally, the lace-up style brace demonstrated significantly less rearfoot angular displacement and angular velocity compared with the control condition (P<0.05). These results demonstrate that a semi-rigid ankle brace is more superior then a lace-up style brace in limiting rearfoot angular displacement and angular velocity. Moreover, the lace-up style brace offers significant restriction of these measures compared with no support.

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