Synchronous analysis of ankle coronal plane tilt angle and peripheral associated muscle load in semi-squat landing of paratroopers

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship between ankle stability and associated muscle load around the ankle and the effect of a parachute ankle brace (PAB) on ankle inversion and associated muscle load around the ankle during landing through the simulated paratrooper semi-squat landing field experiment. Methods: In August 2021, 37 male paratroopers were randomly selected as the study objects to perform parachute landing training in the semi-squat posture on the 1.5 m and 2.0 m jump platforms with or without PAB, respectively. The coronal plane tilt angle of ankle joint and the percentage of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC%) of associated muscles around ankle joint during the process were measured and correlation analysis was conducted. And the effect of wearing PAB on the coronal plane tilt angle of ankle joint and the associated muscles around the ankle joint was analyzed. Results: During the semi-squat landing, the MVC% of the tibialis anterior muscle, lateral gastrocnemius muscle and peroneus longus muscle were positively correlated with the ankle coronal plane tilt angle in paratroopers wearing and without wearing PAB, and the correlations were statistically significant (P<0.05). At the same height, compared with those without PAB, the coronal plane tilt angle of the ankle joint decreased during semi-squat landing in paratroopers PAB, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). At the landing moment of the same height, compared with those without PAB, the MVC% of lateral gastrocnemius muscle decreased and the MVC% of peroneus longus muscle increased in paratroopers wearing PAB, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). After the landing moment until the standing stage (100-200 ms) at 1.5 m height, the MVC% of the tibialis anterior muscle decreased in paratroopers wearing PAB compared with those without PAB, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). In the post-standing stage (200 ms) at 2.0 m height, the MVC% of the tibialis anterior muscle decreased in paratroopers wearing PAB compared with those without PAB, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Wearing PAB can reduce the ankle coronal plane tilt angle, improve ankle stability, reduce the muscle load of the lateral gastrocnemius muscle at the moment of landing, and reduce the load of the tibialis anterior muscle after landing, but increase the peroneus longus muscle load at the moment of landing.