Relationship between viscosity of the ankle joint complex and functional ankle instability for inversion ankle sprain patients

Che-Yu Lin; Jiunn-Horng Kang; Chung-Li Wang; Yio-Wha Shau

doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2014.02.009

Relationship between viscosity of the ankle joint complex and functional ankle instability for inversion ankle sprain patients

J Sci Med Sport. 2015 Mar;18(2):128-32. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2014.02.009. Epub 2014 Feb 23.

Authors

Che-Yu Lin¹, Jiunn-Horng Kang², Chung-Li Wang³, Yio-Wha Shau⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
² Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
³ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁴ Institute of Applied Mechanics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Biomedical Technology and Device Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu, Taiwan. Electronic address: richardyiowhashau@gmail.com.

PMID: 24631124
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2014.02.009

Abstract

Objectives: Measurement of viscosity of the ankle joint complex is a novel method to assess mechanical ankle instability. In order to further investigate the clinical significance of the method, this study intended to investigate the relationship between ankle viscosity and severity of functional ankle instability.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: 15 participants with unilateral inversion ankle sprain and 15 controls were recruited. Their ankles were further classified into stable and unstable ankles. Ankle viscosity was measured by an instrumental anterior drawer test. Severity of functional ankle instability was measured by the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool. Unstable ankles were compared with stable ankles. Injured ankles were compared with uninjured ankles of both groups. The spearman's rank correlation coefficient was applied to determine the relationship between ankle viscosity and severity of functional ankle instability in unstable ankles.

Results: There was a moderate relationship between ankle viscosity and severity of functional ankle instability (r=-0.64, p<0.0001). Unstable ankles exhibited significantly lower viscosity (p<0.005) and more severe functional ankle instability (p<0.0001) than stable ankles. Injured ankles exhibited significantly lower viscosity and more severe functional ankle instability than uninjured ankles (p<0.0001).

Conclusions: There was a moderate relationship between ankle viscosity and severity of functional ankle instability. This finding suggested that, severity of functional ankle instability may be partially attributed to mechanical insufficiencies such as the degenerative changes in ankle viscosity following the inversion ankle sprain. In clinical application, measurement of ankle viscosity could be a useful tool to evaluate severity of chronic ankle instability.

Keywords: Anterior drawer test; Functional ankle instability; Mechanical ankle instability; Stress relaxation; Viscoelastic properties.

MeSH terms

Adult
Ankle Injuries / physiopathology*
Ankle Joint / physiopathology*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Joint Instability / physiopathology
Male
Viscosity
Young Adult