Ankle Joint Proprioception and Postural Control in Basketball Players With Bilateral Ankle Sprains

BackgroundDeficiencies in ankle proprioception and standing balance in basketball players with multiple ankle sprains have been reported in separate studies. However, the question of how ankle proprioceptive inputs and postural control in stance are related is still unclear.HypothesisAnkle repositioning errors and the amount of postural sway in stance are increased in basketball players with multiple ankle sprains.Study DesignControlled laboratory study.MethodsTwenty healthy male basketball players and 19 male basketball players who had suffered bilateral ankle sprains within the past 2 years were examined. Both groups were similar in age. Passive ankle joint repositioning errors at 5° of plantar flexion were used to test for ankle joint proprioception. The Sensory Organization Test was applied with dynamic posturography to assess postural sway angle under 6 sensory conditions.ResultsA significant increase in ankle repositioning errors was demonstrated in basketball players with bilateral ankle sprains (P...