Abstract
Background: Prophylactic lace-up braces are commonly used in athletics regardless of ankle injury history to reduce lateral ankle sprains (LAS). Objectives: The purpose of the study was to assess ankle and knee kinematics associated with chronic knee pathologies during a 90° cutting maneuver before and after a state of fatigue. Methods: Using a randomized crossover design, thirteen, active adults (6 males and 7 females) engaged in a 15-m beep test fatigue protocol with a 90° cutting maneuver test before and after the fatigue protocol, both with and without brace. Results: Brace condition significantly reduced Ankle Sagittal Displacement (ASD; 52°) compared to no brace condition (62°) (p .05). Peak knee flexion was significantly greater in brace (56°) compared to no brace condition (47°) and, likewise, took longer to reach it (10 ms) (p .05). Conclusions: Prophylactic ankle braces limiting ASD can cause the foot to land in a more dorsiflexed position at initial ground contact causing more rearfoot strike, which may contribute to chronic knee pathologies.
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