A. Kaikkonen et al., A PERFORMANCE-TEST PROTOCOL AND SCORING SCALE FOR THE EVALUATION OF ANKLE INJURIES, American journal of sports medicine, 22(4), 1994, pp. 462-469
The aim of the study was to introduce and evaluate a standardized test
protocol and scoring scale for evaluation of ankle injuries. After ev
aluation of 11 different functional ankle tests, questionnaire answers
, and results of clinical ankle examination, the final test protocol c
onsisted of 3 simple questions describing the subjective assessment of
the injured ankle, 2 clinical measurements (range of motion in dorsif
lexion, laxity of the ankle joint), 1 ankle test measuring functional
stability (walking down a staircase), 2 tests measuring muscle strengt
h (rising on heels and toes), and 1 test measuring balance (balancing
on a square beam). Each selected test showed excellent reproducibility
when tested with a reference group of 100 uninjured persons. Accordin
g to the test results of a population of 148 patients with an operativ
ely treated grade III lateral ligament injury of the ankle, each test
could significantly differentiate healthy controls and patients with e
xcellent overall healing from those with poor or fair recovery. The fi
nal total test score correlated significantly with the isokinetic stre
ngth results of the ankle, subjective opinion about the recovery, and
subjective-functional assessment. The scale presented is recommended f
or studies evaluating functional recovery after ankle injury.