Context: Ankle positioning gait biofeedback (GBF) has improved ankle inversion for patients with chronic ankle instability. However, the effects on proximal deficits remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of impairment-based rehabilitation with GBF and without biofeedback on gluteal activity during walking in patients with chronic ankle instability.
Design: Randomized controlled trial.
Methods: Eighteen patients with chronic ankle instability (14 women and 4 men; age 22 [4] y; height 171 [10] cm; mass 71.6 [13.8] kg) were recruited from a university setting, following International Ankle Consortium guidelines. Patients were randomly allocated to GBF or without biofeedback groups (N = 9 per group). Both groups performed 4 weeks of exercises and treadmill walking. The GBF group alone received feedback on frontal ankle positioning at initial contact during walking. Ultrasound videos of the gluteus maximus and medius were recorded during walking at baseline and follow-up by a blinded clinician. Gluteal activity ratios were obtained at each 10% of the gait cycle. Statistical parametric mapping repeated-measures analysis of variance were used to compare groups and time points.
Results: Both groups demonstrated significantly increased gluteus medius activity across the gait cycle compared with baseline (P < .01, mean differences: 0.13-0.21, Hedge g: 0.97-1.89); however, there were no significant between-group differences. There were no statistically significant changes noted for the gluteus maximus. No adverse events were observed.
Conclusions: Impairment-based rehabilitation led to increased gluteus medius activity, but GBF did not provide any additional improvement to this parameter. Clinicians may consider implementing impairment-based strengthening interventions to improve gluteus medius function during gait for patients with CAI.
Keywords: biomechanics; functional ankle instability; musculoskeletal injury; proximal adaptations; treadmill-walking; ultrasound imaging.