Noise-Enhanced Eversion Force Sense in Ankles With or Without Functional Instability

Abstract

Context: Force sense impairments are associated with functional ankle instability. Stochastic resonance stimulation (SRS) may have implications for correcting these force sense deficits.Objective: To determine if SRS improved force sense. Design: Case-control study. Setting: Research laboratory.Patients or Other Participants: Twelve people with functional ankle instability (age ¼ 23 6 3 years, height ¼ 174 6 8 cm, mass ¼ 69 6 10 kg) and 12 people with stable ankles (age ¼ 22 6 2 years, height ¼ 170 6 7 cm, mass ¼ 64 6 10 kg).Intervention(s): The eversion force sense protocol required participants to reproduce a targeted muscle tension (10% of maximum voluntary isometric contraction). This protocol was assessed under SRS on and SRS off (control) conditions. During SRS on , random subsensory mechanical noise was applied to the lower leg at a customized optimal intensity for each participant.Main Outcome Measure(s): Constant error, absolute error, and variable error measures quantified accuracy, overall performance, and consistency of force reproduction, respectively.Results: With SRS, we observed main effects for force sense absolute error (SRS off ¼ 1.01 6 0.67 N, SRS on ¼ 0.69 6 0.42 N) and variable error (SRS off ¼ 1.11 6 0.64 N, SRS on ¼ 0.78 6 0.56 N) (P , .05). No other main effects or treatment-bygroup interactions were found (P . .05).Conclusions: Although SRS reduced the overall magnitude (absolute error) and variability (variable error) of force sense errors, it had no effect on the directionality (constant error). Clinically, SRS may enhance muscle tension ability, which could have treatment implications for ankle stability.

Ultrasonography Comparison of Peroneus Muscle Cross-sectional Area in Subjects With or Without Lateral Ankle Sprains

“…Further studies are necessary to increase knowledge of changes that occur in the peroneus muscles and connective tissues of participants with LAS. Postural control strategies, 37 the neural excitability of the lower extremities, 38 changes in the eversion force sense in ankles with functional instability, 39 and corticospinal excitability at the ankle joint 40 are some of the conditions related to the muscle and connective tissue changes observed in patients with LAS.…”

“…One of the main limitations of this study was the lack of distinction between participants with chronic ankle instability and those with functional ankle instability. 38,39 Neuromuscular dysfunction of the fibularis longus muscle, including greater inhibition of corticospinal excitability, is frequently observed in those with chronic ankle instability. 38 Force sense impairments are also correlated with functional ankle instability.…”

“…38 Force sense impairments are also correlated with functional ankle instability. 39 In addition, bilateral impairment of postural control strategies in the participants with LAS was not considered. The single-limb stance that often accompanies acute LAS alters the bilateral adaptive capacity of the sensorimotor system.…”

Force sense deficits in chronic ankle instability: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…Although several studies have found that patients with CAI might have impaired ankle force sense, 14,15 there have also been some studies that did not find significant associations. 12,16 Potential reasons for these inconsistent findings might include both small sample sizes and differences in test methodologies. 12 The force reproduction test (also called the force matching test) is the most common approach to measuring force sense.…”

Better Sense of Force Accuracy in Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence Compared with Women Without Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Surprising Result in a Case-Control Study

“…A total of 41 women, 18 without SUI and 23 with SUI (mean ages 46.7 (SD 3.04) and 51.5 (1.86) years, respectively) were included (26,27). The demographic characteristics of the participants are shown in Table 1.…”