Relationships between mechanical joint stability and somatosensory function in individuals with chronic ankle instability

• People with CAI have demonstrated alterations in ankle mechanics and sensory deficits.
• Sensory function, mechanical stability, and injury history do not appear to be related.
• Causes of somatosensory impairment in individuals with CAI warrant more investigation.

BackgroundIndividuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) have demonstrated alterations in ankle mechanics and deficits in sensory function. However, relationships between mechanical stability and somatosensory function have not been examined, nor have those between somatosensory function and injury history characteristics. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine relationships between (1) somatosensory function and mechanical stability and (2) somatosensory function and injury history characteristics.MethodsForty adults with CAI volunteered to participate. In a single testing session, participants completed mechanical and sensory assessments in a counterbalanced order. Dependent variables included anterior/posterior displacement (mm), inversion/eversion rotation (°), SWM index values, JPS absolute error (°), number of previous ankle sprains, and number of “giving way” episodes in the previous 3 months. Spearman's Rho correlations examined the relationships between somatosensory function and (1) mechanical stability and (2) injury history characteristics (p < 0.05).ResultsNo significant correlations were identified between any variables (p > 0.11), and all r-values were considered weak.ConclusionsThese results revealed somatosensory function was not significantly correlated to mechanical stability or injury history characteristics. This indicates peripheral sensory impairments associated with CAI are likely caused by factors other than mechanical stability and injury history characteristics.