Anticipating ankle inversion perturbations during a single-leg drop landing alters ankle joint and impact kinetics

Jeffrey D Simpson; Ethan M Stewart; Nicole K Rendos; Ludmila Cosio-Lima; Samuel J Wilson; David M Macias; Harish Chander; Adam C Knight

doi:10.1016/j.humov.2019.03.015

Anticipating ankle inversion perturbations during a single-leg drop landing alters ankle joint and impact kinetics

Hum Mov Sci. 2019 Aug:66:22-30. doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2019.03.015. Epub 2019 Mar 23.

Authors

Jeffrey D Simpson¹, Ethan M Stewart², Nicole K Rendos³, Ludmila Cosio-Lima⁴, Samuel J Wilson⁵, David M Macias⁶, Harish Chander², Adam C Knight²

Affiliations

¹ Sports Medicine and Neuromechanics Laboratory, Department of Movement Sciences and Health, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL, USA. Electronic address: jsimpson1@uwf.edu.
² Neuromechanics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA.
³ Sports Medicine and Neuromechanics Laboratory, Department of Movement Sciences and Health, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL, USA; Andrews Research and Education Foundation, Gulf Breeze, FL, USA.
⁴ Sports Medicine and Neuromechanics Laboratory, Department of Movement Sciences and Health, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL, USA.
⁵ Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA.
⁶ Neuromechanics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Columbus Orthopaedic, Columbus, MS, USA.

PMID: 30908960
DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2019.03.015

Abstract

Anticipatory responses to inversion perturbations can prevent an accurate assessment of lateral ankle sprain mechanics when using injury simulations. Despite recent evidence of the anticipatory motor control strategies utilized during inversion perturbations, kinetic compensations during anticipated inversion perturbations are currently unknown. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the influence of anticipation to an inversion perturbation during a single-leg drop landing on ankle joint and impact kinetics. Fifteen young adults with no lateral ankle sprain history completed unanticipated and anticipated single-leg drop landings onto a 25° laterally inclined platform from a height of 30 cm. One-dimensional statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was used to analyze net ankle moments and ground reaction forces (GRF) during the first 150 ms post-landing, while peak GRFs, time to peak GRF, peak and average loading rates were compared using a dependent samples t-test (p ≤ 0.05). Results from the SPM analysis revealed significantly greater plantar flexion moment from 58 to 83 ms post-landing (p = 0.004; d = 0.64-0.77), inversion moment from 89 to 91 ms post-landing (p = 0.050; d = 0.58-0.60), and medial GRF from 62 to 97 ms post-landing (p < 0.001; d = 1.00-2.39) during the unanticipated landing condition. Moreover, significantly greater peak plantarflexion (p < 0.001; d = 1.10) and peak inversion moment (p = 0.007; d = 0.94), as well as greater peak (p = 0.002; d = 1.03) and average (p = 0.042; d = 0.66) medial loading rates, were found during the unanticipated landing condition. Our findings suggest alterations to ankle joint and impact kinetics occur during a single-leg drop landing when inversion perturbations are anticipated. Researchers and practitioners using drop-landings onto a tilted surface to assess lateral ankle sprain injury risk should consider implementing protocols that mitigate anticipatory responses.

Keywords: Ankle sprain mechanics; Ankle stability; Anticipatory motor control; Drop landing; Lower extremity injury.