Reduced Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Greater Body FatnessWill DevelopAs A Consequence of Chronic Ankle Instability

Abstract

Our laboratory has recently reported significant declines in daily physical activity (PA) performed in humans and mice as a result of Chronic Ankle Instability (CAI), which will likely accelerate the development of unhealthy characteristics. PURPOSE: To assess the impact of CAI on cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition. METHODS: Thirty-four subjects participated in the study. Seventeen subjects with CAI were matched for sex (10 females, 7 males/group), age (22.1±2.6yr and 22.2±3.0yr; Mean±SD), height (167±8cm and 168±8cm), and weight (70.5±7.3kg and 66.7±7.5kg), to subjects with no history of ankle injury, respectively. Subjects reported to the Health Risk Assessment Lab for one session. Subjects completed the foot and ankle ability measure (FAAM and FAAMSport) and the NASA physical activity questionnaire. Subject’s body composition was assessed by DEXA. Afterward, subjects performed a treadmill maximal exercise test. Every minute of the treadmill test the subjects rated their exertion using the Borg RPE scale (6-20 scale). For the treadmill test we used a two-minute progressive test until volitional fatigue was attained. RESULTS: No differences were observed between groups for age (p=0.86), height (p=0.79), and weight (p=0.15). Body composition was different (p=0.0002) between the CAI and Control group (33.9±6.0% and 24.6±6.8%, respectively). VO2max (ml/kg.min) was significantly different (p<0.0001) between CAI and Control groups (30.2±4.8 and 49.2±7.5, respectively). Time to maximal exercise test completion (p=0.02) and VEmax (p=0.008) were different between groups. Maximal HR was not different (p=0.96) between groups however resting HR was different (p=0.0001) between the CAI and Control groups (77.3±7.5bpm and 64.9±8.1bpm, respectively). FAAM (p<0.0001), FAAMSport (p<0.0001) and NASA (p<0.0001) were all observed to indicate differing activity levels between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: CAI in college-aged adults results in significantly reduced PA and cardiorespiratory fitness levels accompanied by significantly greater body fatness. Our findings suggest these serious negative health outcomes will rapidly develop as a consequence of the reoccurrence of this musculoskeletal injury as a young adult.