Henderson Zachariah J, Sanzo Paolo, Zerpa Carlos, Kivi Derek
School of Kinesiology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, CANADA.
Applied Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, CANADA.
Int J Exerc Sci. 2019 Jan 1;12(1):15-23. doi: 10.70252/WYPU7629. eCollection 2019.
Ankle braces have been hypothesized to prevent ankle injuries by restricting range of motion (ROM) and improving proprioception at the ankle. As such, ankle braces are commonly worn by physically active individuals to prevent ankle injuries. Despite their widespread use, the effects that ankle braces have on athletic performance measures, such as vertical jumping, remains unclear. Furthermore, although ankle braces are known to restrict normal ROM at the ankle, little is known about the effects that ankle braces have on the lower extremity proximal to the ankle, specifically muscular activation. Therefore, the purpose of this pilot study was to determine if lower extremity surface electromyographic activity (sEMG) and performance was affected in 5 males and 5 females by wearing softshell (AE) and semi-rigid (T1) ankle braces during a Vertical Jump Test, and to establish a basis for future investigation. Vertical jump height was not significantly affected ( > .05) in the AE (37.49 ± 11.61 cm) and T1 (36.3 ± 11.77 cm) ankle brace conditions, relative to the no brace (38.17 ± 12.01 cm) condition. No significant differences in sEMG of the lateral gastrocnemius and biceps femoris were present across conditions. There was a tendency for sEMG of the rectus femoris to decrease when wearing AE (195.71 ± 100.43 %MVC) and T1 (183.308 ± 92.73 %MVC) braces, compared to no braces (210.08 ± 127.46 %MVC), and warrants further investigation using a larger sample. Until more research is conducted, however, clinicians should not be concerned about ankle braces significantly affecting proximal muscle activation during vertical jumping.
踝关节支具被认为可通过限制活动范围（ROM）和改善踝关节本体感觉来预防踝关节损伤。因此，体育活动人群通常佩戴踝关节支具以预防踝关节损伤。尽管其应用广泛，但踝关节支具对诸如垂直跳跃等运动表现指标的影响仍不明确。此外，虽然已知踝关节支具会限制踝关节的正常ROM，但对于踝关节支具对踝关节近端下肢，特别是肌肉激活的影响却知之甚少。因此，本初步研究的目的是确定在垂直跳跃测试中，5名男性和5名女性佩戴软壳（AE）和半刚性（T1）踝关节支具时，下肢表面肌电图活动（sEMG）和运动表现是否受到影响，并为未来的研究奠定基础。与不佩戴支具（38.17±12.01厘米）的情况相比，AE（37.49±11.61厘米）和T1（36.3±11.77厘米）踝关节支具情况下的垂直跳跃高度没有受到显著影响（>0.05）。不同情况下，腓肠外侧肌和股二头肌的sEMG没有显著差异。与不佩戴支具（210.08±127.46%MVC）相比，佩戴AE（195.71±100.43%MVC）和T1（183.308±92.73%MVC）支具时股直肌的sEMG有下降趋势，这值得使用更大样本进行进一步研究。然而，在进行更多研究之前，临床医生不应担心踝关节支具会在垂直跳跃过程中显著影响近端肌肉激活。
