Comparison of maximum strength, proprioceptive, dynamic balance, maximum joint angle between two groups classified through the ankle instability instrument.
Jae-Kwang Lee
PMID 36337214WHAT IT FOUND
The Ankle Instability Instrument (AII) survey identified groups with significantly worse plantar flexor strength, poorer joint position sense, reduced anterior dynamic balance, and limited dorsiflexion.
Clinicians can use the AII score to flag these specific physical deficits in patients reporting ankle instability.
Key findings
01Participants classified as unstable by the AII survey had significantly lower maximum isometric plantar flexion strength than the stable group.
02The unstable group showed significantly higher error in joint position sense (proprioception) for both dorsiflexion and plantar flexion.
03Dynamic balance in the anterior direction and maximum dorsiflexion angle were significantly reduced in the unstable group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample consisted of healthy physical therapy students, not patients with chronic ankle instability, limiting generalizability to clinical populations. The study design was cross-sectional, so it cannot determine if the physical deficits caused the instability or resulted from it. The sample size was small (n=34), which may affect the stability of the findings.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest relevant to this article.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the AII survey measures hip function or posterior balance deficits. The study found no significant difference in posterior medial or lateral dynamic balance, and the authors noted the survey does not assess hip-related injuries, so these specific deficits may not be captured by the score.