The Effects of Tennis and Badminton Exercise Training on Ankle Proprioception

Abstract

1328 Proprioception function has been researched for injury prevention and rehabilitation. Studies verified that ankle injury would impair proprioception, induced poor balance control and result in frequent reinjury. Most proprioception studies concerned about the influences after injury or operation, and limited studies examined the training effects on proprioception function and performance. PURPOSE: To determine the effects of regular tennis and badminton exercise training on ankle active and passive reposition sense. METHODS: Seventeen elite tennis and badminton athletes and 17 sedentary college students were recruited as subjects. All subjects without any ankle instability symptom follow the criteria suggested by Kaminski, Perrin & Gansneder (1999). The Biodex III isokinetic dynamometer was used to assess ankle proprioception function: active and passive reposition test. Three test positions (15° inversion, 0° of neutral, and 10° of eversion) were performed three times on each leg. The active and passive ankle joint reposition tests were performed at 500°/s and 2°/s. Joint position sense measurements were recorded in degrees of error from the test position. RESULTS: No significant difference was found on active and passive proprioception between each leg in sedentary college students. The active proprioception was significant better than passive proprioception in tennis and badminton athletes, either left (1.68 ± 0.45° vs. 2.20 ± 0.67°) or right leg (1.72 ± 0.60° vs. 2.48 ± 0.80°). Furthermore, the athletes had better active and passive proprioception than sedentary students (LA: 1.68 ± 0.45° vs. 3.34 ± 1.66°; LP: 2.20 ± 0.67° vs. 3.02 ± 1.21°; RA: 1.72 ± 0.60° vs. 3.27 ± 1.80°; RP: 2.48 ± 0.80° vs. 3.42 ± 1.29°, P<.05). CONCLUSION: Regular tennis or badminton exercise training athletes had better ankle proprioception performance than sedentary students. This may be due to that exercise training could improve the sensitivity of ankle mechanoreceptor and the function of neuromuscular control.