Postural stability for taekwondo athletes with repetitive ankle sprains during a single-leg stance

[Purpose] The purpose of this study is to investigate postural stability in such group of taekwondo athletes by measuring the center-of-pressure variables in both the injured limb and uninjured limb during a single-leg stance with eyes closed. [Subjects and Methods] The study includes eleven taekwondo athletes with repetitive ankle sprains (RASs) and eleven healthy taekwondo athletes (the controls) at the college level participating in taekwondo training sessions. For the controls, the “injured” limb was taken to be the left limb. [Results] The postural stability measured in both the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions using center-of-pressure variables was lower in the uninjured limb of the RAS group than in the control group during a single-leg stance with eyes closed. However, for the injured limb, there were no significant differences between the two groups. Furthermore, compared to the RAS group, the control group had higher stability in the injured limb than in the uninjured limb. [Conclusion] Individuals with RASs should ensure improvements in their proprioceptive and neuromuscular functions, as well as muscle strength, through an adequate period of rehabilitation to reduce the risk of re-injury.