Impact of chronic ankle instability on gait loading strategy in individuals with chronic ankle instability: a comparative study.
Omar M Elabd, Aliaa M Elabd, Mona S Abd El-Azez and 2 others
PMID 39425153WHAT IT FOUND
Young men with chronic ankle instability did not load the foot differently while walking compared with controls.
One exception was more load on the outer heel.
Key findings
01The overall comparison across gait loading variables showed no significant difference between groups.
02Load over the lateral rearfoot was higher in the chronic ankle instability group than in controls (17.67% versus 15.56%, p = 0.017).
03Stance time, weight acceptance time, and the other load zones did not differ significantly.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 56 male participants were studied, and the authors say results should be applied cautiously to females. The overall gait loading comparison was not significant, so the single significant outer heel finding should be read cautiously among several measured variables. The study did not assess lower limb muscle activity or joint angles, or how they relate to loading. Participants walked barefoot, and barefoot walking can differ from walking in shoes. The analysis compared the injured foot in the instability group with the right foot in controls. Only unilateral chronic ankle instability was included, so findings may not apply to bilateral instability.
Declared interests
The study was funded by Delta University for Science and Technology. The authors declared no competing interests.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that chronic ankle instability broadly changes gait loading. The overall comparison was not significant, and only the outer heel load differed among several measured variables.