Effects of different pressure midfoot wraps on balance and proprioception in amateur basketball athletes.

INTRODUCTION

Ankle sprains are prevalent in basketball. This study sought to determine how midfoot wraps affect postural stability and ankle proprioception.

METHODS

Twenty-two amateur basketball athletes performed three single-leg balance tests (static, head-elevated static, and unstable foam pad) under four wrap conditions (no wrap, low, medium, and high pressure), and balance measures were taken using a force platform. Standing time, center of pressure dynamics, surface electromyographic of the supporting leg musculature were recorded. Ankle proprioception joint position matching error was assessed by a digital inclinometer.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Results indicated that during balance tests on foam padding, participants demonstrated significantly longer standing time when wearing low-pressure midfoot wraps, compared to high-pressure wraps ( (3,63) = 4.32, = 0.008, = 0.17). Wearing high-pressure wraps reduced anterior-posterior dynamic stability index variability ( (3,63) = 3.89, = 0.044, = 0.16), suggesting enhanced sagittal-plane control. Intriguingly, high-pressure conditions evidenced convergent activation trends between medial and lateral gastrocnemius (GM/GL ratio shift from 1.3 to 1.0), albeit without statistical significance ( > 0.05). No significant difference was detected in joint position sense in ankle dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, eversion and inversion between different wrap conditions ( > 0.05). These findings suggest that low-pressure midfoot wraps may improve balance through enhanced cutaneous feedback, while high-pressure wraps enhance anterior-posterior dynamic stability, providing biomechanically informed strategies for ankle injury prevention in basketball.