Balance and Recovery From a Perturbation are Impaired in People With Functional Ankle Instability.

Hiller, Claire E ;  Refshauge, Kathryn M;  Herbert, Robert D;  Kilbreath, Sharon L

The objective of this study was to determine if differences in balance and recovery would be found between controls and participants with unilateral or bilateral functional ankle instability (FAI).  Twenty healthy participants(C), 19 participants with unilateral FAI and 22 participants with bilateral FAI (BI).  Balance was measured in single leg stance as: number of part foot lifts in 30 s; magnitude of medio-lateral ankle movement in two foot positions; and ability to balance on the ball of the foot. Recovery was determined by time to return to baseline medio-lateral ankle movement after a 15 degree inversion perturbation.The results showed that there are differences in balance and recovery between external controls and participants with both unilateral and bilateral FAI but not between the legs of participants with unilateral FAI.

Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 2007,    17(4), 269-275.

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