AJSM Click here for details!
HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
First published on November 7, 2006, doi:10.1177/0363546506294471
This version was published on February 1, 2007
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
35/2/282    most recent
0363546506294471v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Eils, E.
Right arrow Articles by Rosenbaum, D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Eils, E.
Right arrow Articles by Rosenbaum, D.
Related Collections
Right arrow Ankle
Right arrow Gymnastics
The American Journal of Sports Medicine 35:282-287 (2007)
© 2007 American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine

Passive Stability Characteristics of Ankle Braces and Tape in Simulated Barefoot and Shod Conditions

Eric Eils, PhD{dagger},*, Simone Imberge{dagger}, Klaus Völker, MD{ddagger} and Dieter Rosenbaum, PhD{dagger}

From the {dagger} Funktionsbereich Bewegungsanalytik (Movement Analysis Lab), Orthopaedic Department, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany, and the {ddagger} Institute of Sports Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany

* Address correspondence to Eric Eils, PhD, Funktionsbereich Bewegungsanalytik (Movement Analysis Lab), Klinik und Poliklinik für Allgemeine Orthopädie, University Hospital Münster, Domagkstr 3, 48129 Münster, Germany (e-mail: eils{at}uni-muenster.de or diro{at}unimuenster.de).

Background: Ankle sprains are among the most common injuries in barefoot sport activities such as dance, gymnastics, or trampoline. At present, the use of external ankle devices for prevention of ligament injuries for barefoot activities remains unclear.

Hypothesis: External ankle devices have a significant loss of passive stability when used without a shoe in barefoot activities.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Methods: Twenty-five healthy subjects participated in the project (mean age, 26.2 ± 3.3 years; mean body mass, 71.2 ± 10.3 kg; mean height, 178 ± 7 cm). Passive range of motion measurements were performed with 3 different ankle stabilizers (a stirrup brace, a lace-up brace, and tape), as well as 2 different shoe conditions (cutout shoe [simulated barefoot] and normal shoe).

Results: In the simulated barefoot condition, a significantly reduced stabilizing effect for inversion and eversion (19% and 29%, respectively) was found for the stirrup ankle brace. Small decreases were noted with the soft brace and tape, but these were not statistically significant.

Conclusion: The passive stability characteristics of ankle braces depend to a great extent on being used in combination with a shoe. This is especially true for semirigid braces with stirrup design. Therefore, it is recommended that soft braces (like the one tested in the present investigation) be used in barefoot sports for restricting passive range of motion of the foot and ankle complex.

Clinical Relevance: This study provides useful information for clinicians to select or recommend an external ankle stabilizing device in barefoot sports to restrict passive range of motion of the foot-ankle complex most effectively.

Key Words: ankle brace • ankle injuries • prevention and rehabilitation • range of motion






HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2007 by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.