ANKLE SENSORIMOTOR CONTROL AND EVERSION STRENGTH AFTER ACUTE ANKLE INVERSION INJURIES

We performed this study to monitor changes in ankle eversion strength and sensorimotor control functions after acute ankle inversion injury, Forty-four patients with clinical grade II to III first-time ankle in version sprains were tested for 1) pathologic talar tilt and anterior talar translation at 1 and 12 weeks after injury; 2) isometric eccentr ic ankle eversion strength and 3) peroneal reaction time to sudden ank le inversion at 3, 6, and 12 weeks after injury; and 4) accuracy of in version position assessment 1, 3, 6, and 12 weeks after injury. Not al l patients could perform all tests at the early follow-up visits. Ther e was mechanical instability in 19 of 40 tested patients at 1 week and in 4 patients at 12 weeks after injury. Eversion strength was 88% of the contralateral side 3 weeks after injury, rising to 96% after 12 we eks. The magnitude of error of inversion position sense was 190% of th e contralateral side 1 week after injury; this was still affected afte r 12 weeks, but fell to 133%. Patients with pathologic talar tilt or a nterior talar translation, or both, at 1 week after injury did not sho w significantly greater error in position assessment or reduction in e version strength when compared with patients with ankles that remained stable after injury.