[The effect of proprioception on functional stability of the upper ankle joint with special reference to stabilizing aids].

Both ankle joints of 14 uninjured volunteers and 16 patients with unstable ankle joints were tested regarding their proprioceptive capabilities. Three tests were used for the study: single-leg stance test, single-leg jumping course test, angle-reproduction test. The influence of three stabilization devices (lace-on-brace, stirrup-brace, taping) on the proprioceptivity of stable and unstable ankle joints were evaluated as well. The scores of the single-leg jumping course test without any stabilizing device (category "standard") ranged between 8.06 and 13.68 (10.65 +/- 1.29). In the categories "mikros" (9.85 +/- 0.99), "aircast" (9.99 +/- 1.14) and with the tape bandage (category "taping") (10.27 +/- 0.81) the scores were lower. In general, the scores of all trials with orthoses were lower compared to the category "standard". The differences of the categories "standard-mikros" and "standard-aircast" revealed a significant reduction of the scores when applicating these orthoses (p < 0.01). The differences of the category "standard-taping" as well as the single scores between the categories "mikros" and "aircast" were not statistically significant. According to the results of the single-leg stance test the error rate was within the range of 0-16 (5.12 +/- 2.85) for the category "standard", it was lower for the categories "mikros" (3.65 +/- 2.65) and "aircast" (4.17 +/- 2.59). The error rate was highest in the group with applicated tape bandage (5.79 +/- 3.53). The differences between the categories "standard"-"mikros" as well as "standard"-"aircast" were statistically significant (p < 0.01). There was also a significant difference between these categories regarding injured and uninjured ankle joints (p < 0.01). The pair differences of the categories "standard" and "taping" were below the significance level as well as the error rates of the categories "mikros" and "aircast". The ankle-reproduction-test showed higher values for the category "standard" (2.36 degrees +/- 0.97) in comparison to the categories "mikros" (1.46 degrees +/- 0.72). "aircast" (1.62 degrees +/- 0.91) and "taping" (1.84 degrees +/- 0.41). In the category "standard" the reproduction error of the uninjured ankle joints was lower (2.30 degrees +/- 1.04) compared to the group of unstable ankle joints (2.44 degrees +/- 0.81), whereas in all other categories the reproduction error was higher in the group of uninjured joints. The differences in all findings between the categories "standard"-"mikros" and "standard"-"aircast" were statistically significant (p < 0.01). The results of the three tests showed a statistically highly significant difference between injured and uninjured ankle joints (p < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)