The Effects Of Ankle Balance Device Training On Peroneus Longus Reaction Time Of Patients With Functional Ankle Instability

ObjectiveThe purpose of the study is to investigate the characteristics of peroneus longus reaction time of patients with functional ankle instability, and to investigate the effects of ankle balance device training on peroneus longus reaction time of patients with functional ankle instability so as to evaluate the effectiveness of the homemade device training on the ankle neuromuscular control function. MethodsThe experimental design method of this study is self-control of paired design. We choose 30 college students with unilateral functional ankle instability, including 18 women and 12 men, the average age(20.3±0.8)yr, the average height(167.5±6.3)cm, the average weight(60.2±7.8)kg, who will receive homemade ankle balance device training, for a period of four weeks, five times a week,and 20 minutes once a time.Training includes:Equipped with ankle balance devices, the subjects receive standing still, marching on the spot, standing on one foot, horizontal, forward and backward walking trainings. Before and after training, sudden ankle inversion test is respectively conducted on both sides of the ankle to test the peroneus longus reaction time,which is defined as the time between the ankle suddenly inversion and peroneus longus contraction. Sudden ankle inversion test is completed with homemade ankle varus induced device, while peroneus longus reaction time is tested by surface EMG testing.The results of the tests were statistically analyzed by SPSS17.0 and use paired t test.The differences of pre-training peroneus longus reaction time on both sides of the patients are compared, exploring the characteristics of peroneus longus reaction time in patients with functional ankle instability; observing the change of peroneus longus reaction time on both sides of the patients between pre-training and post-training and investigating the effects of 4 weeks ankle balance device training on peroneus longus reaction time in functional ankle instability patients. Results① Before training, subjects’ ipsilateral peroneus longus reaction time(77.38 ± 10.41 ms) is longer than that in the contralateral side(62.14 ± 8.79 ms). The difference between the two was significant(P< 0.05). ② After training, subjects’ ipsilateral peroneus longus reaction time(62.28 ± 7.57 ms) is shorter than that before training(77.38 ± 10.41 ms), with statistically significant differences(P< 0.05). ③ After training, we compare subjects’ contralateral peroneus longus reaction time(61.61 ± 7.98 ms) with that before training(62.14 ± 8.79 ms), only finding that there is no significant difference(P> 0.05). ④After training, there is no significant difference(P> 0.05) between the subjects’ ipsilateral peroneus longus reaction time(62.14 ± 8.79 ms) and that in the contralateral side(61.61 ± 7.98 ms). Conclusions① Ipsilateral peroneus longus reaction time is longer than that in the contralateral side in patients with unilateral functional ankle instability.② Four weeks of ankle balance device training significantly shortens the ipsilateral peroneus longus reaction time of patients with functional ankle instability, and makes patients’ ipsilateral peroneus longus reaction time reduced to the level of the unaffected side.So short-term ankle balance device training can significantly improve the neuromuscular control function of the ipsilateral ankle, helping to reduce the risk of recurrent ipsilateral ankle sprain.