Longer reaction time of the fibularis longus muscle and reduced postural control in basketball players with functional ankle instability: A pilot study

•Sensory information is fundamental to generate an effective motor response.•We observed an altered motor control in basketball players with ankle instability.•Better neuromuscular control is attributed to the development of motor skills.

BackgroundMotor control evaluation in subjects with functional ankle instability is questionable when both ankles of the same subject are compared (affected vs non-affected).ObjectiveTo compare the postural control and reaction time of ankle muscles among: basketball players with FAI (instability group), basketball players without FAI (non-instability group) and healthy non-basketball-playing participants (control group).DesignCase-control study.SettingLaboratory.ParticipantsInstability (n = 10), non-instability (n = 10), and control groups (n = 11).Main outcome measuresCentre of pressure variables (area, velocity and sway) were measured with a force platform. Reaction time of ankle muscles was measured via electromyography.ResultsA one-way ANOVA demonstrated that there were significant differences between the instability and non-instability groups in the fibularis longus (p < 0.001), fibularis brevis (p = 0.031) and tibialis anterior (p = 0.049) muscles. Repeated-measures ANOVA and post hoc analysis determined significant differences for the area between the instability and non-instability groups (p = 0.001).ConclusionBasketball players with FAI have reduced postural control and longer reaction time of the fibularis and tibialis anterior muscles.