Effects of Plyometric and Balance Training on Neuromuscular Control of Recreational Athletes with Functional Ankle Instability: A Randomized Controlled Laboratory Study.

Amornthep Jankaew,Cheng-Feng Lin,Pi-Yin Huang

doi:10.3390/ijerph18105269

Abstract

Plyometric exercise has been suggested for knee injury prevention in sports participation, but studies on ankle plyometric training are limited. This study aims to investigate the change of joint position sense and neuromuscular activity of the unstable ankle after six-week integrated balance/plyometric training and six-week plyometric training. Thirty recreational athletes with functional ankle instability were allocated into three groups: plyometric group (P) vs. plyometric integrated with balance training group (BP) vs. control group (C). Ankle joint position sense, integrated electromyography (EMG), and balance adjusting time during medial single-leg drop-landing tasks were measured before and after the training period. Following the six-week period, both training groups exhibited a lower absolute error in plantar flexion (P group: pre: 3.79° ± 1.98°, post: 2.20° ± 1.31°, p = 0.016; BP group: pre: 4.10° ± 1.87°, post: 2.94° ± 1.01°, p = 0.045), and the integrated group showed a lower absolute error in inversion angles (pre 2.24° ± 1.44° and post 1.48° ± 0.93°, p = 0.022), and an increased integrated EMG of ankle plantar flexors before landing. The plyometric group exhibited a higher integrated EMG of the tibialis anterior before and after landing (pre: 102.88 ± 20.93, post: 119.29 ± 38.33, p = 0.009 in post-landing) and a shorter adjusting time of the plantar flexor following landing as compared to the pre-training condition (pre: 2.85 ± 1.15 s, post: 1.87 ± 0.97 s, p = 0.006). In conclusion, both programs improved ankle joint position sense and muscle activation of the ankle plantar flexors during single-leg drop landing. The plyometric group showed a reduced adjusting time of the ankle plantar flexor following the impact from drop landing.

Highlights

Introduction iationsAnkle sprain injuries are the most common lower limb injuries among physically active individuals and athletes [1]
functional ankle instability (FAI) during a landing task; the peroneal muscle activates first followed by the lateral gastrocnemius, and the onset of tibialis anterior has close to the ground contact in the healthy individuals [4]
No significant interaction effect between group and condition was noted for dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, and eversion positioning error, but significant main effect for condition in plantarflexion positioning error

Summary

Introduction

Ankle sprain injuries are the most common lower limb injuries among physically active individuals and athletes [1]. The injured ankle joint can cause joint receptors damage and chronically alter motor control. Patients with FAI have highlighted motor control changes observed via electromyography (EMG) during walking and drop-landing tasks [3]. The simultaneous onset of muscle activation of the peroneal muscle, tibialis anterior, and lateral gastrocnemius was found in athletes with. FAI during a landing task; the peroneal muscle activates first followed by the lateral gastrocnemius, and the onset of tibialis anterior has close to the ground contact in the healthy individuals [4]. Individuals with FAI had a longer time to Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

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