Correlation between ankle plantar flexion strength and degree of body sway.
Takashi Yoshizawa, Syuichi Yoshida
PMID 35035078WHAT IT FOUND
Stronger ankle plantar flexion was linked to less body sway in 21 healthy young men.
Handheld devices measured both. The link was moderate, not perfect. Do not assume this applies to older patients or women without testing them first.
Key findings
01A negative correlation was found between ankle plantar flexion strength and body sway measures.
02The study used handheld dynamometry and a body pressure measurement system rather than large laboratory equipment.
03The sample consisted exclusively of healthy young adult males, limiting generalisability to other populations.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample was small (n=21) and consisted only of healthy young adult males, so results may not apply to women, older adults, or patients with pathology. The study is cross-sectional and correlational, so it cannot prove that increasing ankle strength will directly reduce body sway or improve balance. The correlation coefficients (-0.41 and -0.55) are moderate, meaning ankle strength explains only part of the variance in body sway. The study did not include patients with specific conditions like stroke or ankle sprain, despite mentioning them in the introduction.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was approved by the ethical committee of Fukuoka Wajiro Professional Training College.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that improving ankle plantar flexion strength will automatically reduce body sway in all patients. The correlation was moderate, not strong, and the study only looked at healthy young men. Balance is multifactorial, and this single muscle group's strength is not the sole determinant of stability.