Ma Ke, Zhou Wenlong, Shi Xiangwei, Wang Guodong, Mao Xiaokun, Kong Lingyu, Zhang Qiuxia
School of Physical Education and Sports, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2025 Aug 15;13:1650015. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1650015. eCollection 2025.
Lateral ankle sprains often progress to functional ankle instability (FAI). Obstacle-crossing could pose greater challenges for individuals with FAI due to significant impairments in ankle kinesthesia and joint position sense. While existing studies have focused on level-ground gait characteristics in FAI, the postural control strategies underlying obstacle-crossing remain unclear, and the impact of obstacle height on these strategies has not been investigated.
This study is aimed at analyzing the postural control strategies of individuals with FAI during obstacle-crossing at different heights.
Twenty-three male participants [unilateral FAI group (n = 11) and matched controls (n = 12)] were recruited. FAI was identified using the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT score <24). Obstacle heights were set at 0%, 10%, and 20% of individuals' leg length (LL). Participants completed crossing tasks in randomized order. The individuals with FAI use their FAI-affected limb as the swing leg and controls use the matched limb.
Compared to the control group, the FAI group exhibited smaller hip flexion angles ( = 0.008), greater trunk lateral flexion ( = 0.033), and reduced medio-lateral margin of stability (ML_MoS) at landing ( = 0.046). As obstacle height increased, the FAI group showed significant differences in ML_MoS at landing ( < 0.001), with notably lower ML_MoS when the obstacle height was set at 20% LL compared to controls ( = 0.001).
Compared to healthy individuals, those with FAI adapt movement patterns through proximal compensation strategies, characterized by compensatory trunk lateral flexion. Increased obstacle height exacerbates instability during landing, particularly at higher heights, where individuals with FAI demonstrate significantly diminished lateral stability. These findings emphasize the critical influence of FAI on balance control and adaptive postural control strategies during obstacle-crossing.
外侧踝关节扭伤常发展为功能性踝关节不稳（FAI）。由于踝关节运动觉和关节位置觉存在显著损伤，对于患有功能性踝关节不稳的个体而言，跨越障碍物可能会带来更大的挑战。虽然现有研究聚焦于功能性踝关节不稳患者在平地上的步态特征，但跨越障碍物时的姿势控制策略仍不明确，且障碍物高度对这些策略的影响尚未得到研究。
本研究旨在分析不同高度障碍物跨越过程中功能性踝关节不稳患者的姿势控制策略。
招募了23名男性参与者[单侧功能性踝关节不稳组（n = 11）和匹配对照组（n = 12）]。使用坎伯兰踝关节不稳工具（CAIT评分<24）来确定功能性踝关节不稳。障碍物高度设定为个体腿长（LL）的0%、10%和20%。参与者按随机顺序完成跨越任务。功能性踝关节不稳患者使用其受功能性踝关节不稳影响的肢体作为摆动腿，对照组使用匹配的肢体。
与对照组相比，功能性踝关节不稳组在着地时表现出更小的髋关节屈曲角度（ = 0.008）、更大的躯干侧屈（ = 0.033）以及减小的内侧-外侧稳定性边缘（ML_MoS）（ = 0.046）。随着障碍物高度增加，功能性踝关节不稳组在着地时的ML_MoS存在显著差异（ < 0.001），与对照组相比，当障碍物高度设定为腿长的20%时，功能性踝关节不稳组的ML_MoS显著更低（ = 0.001）。
与健康个体相比，功能性踝关节不稳患者通过近端补偿策略来调整运动模式，其特征为代偿性躯干侧屈。障碍物高度增加会加剧着地时的不稳，尤其是在较高高度时，功能性踝关节不稳患者的外侧稳定性显著降低。这些发现强调了功能性踝关节不稳对跨越障碍物时平衡控制和适应性姿势控制策略的关键影响。
