Background: Damage to sensory input is an underlying pathology of chronic ankle instability (CAI). Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the sensory function of patients with CAI. The present study quantitatively evaluated sensory nerve function in patients with CAI and healthy controls using current perception threshold (CPT) measurements, as well as the influence of sex, age, and body mass index (BMI) on CPT values and the relations between CPT frequencies.
Methods: Fifty-nine subjects with CAI and 30 healthy controls participated in this study. CPT values at the anterior talofibular ligament region were recorded on the injured and uninjured sides in CAI patients and on both sides in the healthy control group. Between group differences were compared. The influence of sex, age and BMI on CPT values was evaluated. Correlations between different frequencies were also studied.
Results: There were no significant differences in age, sex, height, weight or BMI between the CAI and healthy control groups. The CPT values did not show a significant difference by sex. The CPT values did not significantly correlate with age or BMI. Compared to the control group, the CAI group had significantly higher CPT values on the injured and uninjured sides under 250-Hz and 5-Hz electrical stimuli; the difference between the groups was significant (p < 0.01), and the effect size were large. No significant difference was observed under 2000-Hz stimuli. There were correlations between CPT values at different frequencies (p < 0.01), especially 250 Hz and 5 Hz.
Conclusion: The present study revealed increased sensory thresholds in 250-Hz- and 5-Hz-related sensory nerve fibres in the injured and uninjured ankles of patients with CAI. This increase may indicate dysfunction of A-delta and C fibres. Sex, age and BMI did not significantly impact CPT values. There were correlations between CPT values at different frequencies, especially 250 Hz and 5 Hz.
Level of evidence: Level III, case-control study.
Keywords: Chronic ankle instability; Current perception threshold; Sensory nerve function.