The array of dysfunction occurring after ligamentous injury is tied to long-term clinical impairments in functional performance, joint stability, and health-related quality of life. To appropriately treat individuals, and in an attempt to avoid sequelae such as post-traumatic osteoarthritis, investigators have sought to better establish the etiology of the persistent dysfunction present in patients who have sustained joint ligament injuries to the lower extremities. Recent evidence has suggested that changes within the brain and central nervous system may underlie these functional deficits, with support arising from direct neurophysiologic measures of somatosensory dysfunction, motor system excitability, and plasticity of neural networks. As research begins to utilize these findings to develop targeted interventions to enhance patient outcomes, it is crucial for sports medicine professionals to understand the current body of evidence related to neuroplasticity after ligamentous injury. Therefore, this review provides (1) a comprehensive and succinct overview of the neurophysiologic techniques utilized in assessing central nervous system function after ligamentous injury, (2) a summary of the findings of previous investigations utilizing these techniques, and (3) direction for further application of these techniques in the prevention and rehabilitation of joint injury.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of Kinesio® taping on static restraint and dynamic postural control of the ankle joint. Thirty female subjects with no history of ankle injury participated in this study. Subjects were tested for passive ankle laxity and stiffness, and time to stabilization following forward, backward, medial, and lateral hops. Subjects were tested prior to tape application, immediately following application, and following 24 hours of use. Differences between taping conditions were investigated using analyses of variance and pairwise comparisons. Stiffness increased following initial application and 24 hours of Kinesio® tape use (F = 6.99, p = .003), despite no observed changes in ankle laxity (F = 0.77, p = .49); however, no changes were observed in time-to-stabilization (F = 0.03, p = .97). Our results suggest that Kinesio® tape may improve static restraint in the ankle joint without altering peak motion or dynamic postural control. A future investigation into Kinesio® tape efficacy in injury prevention or rehabilitation is warranted.

Ankle instability is a concern for many clinicians. Kinesio Taping, although a popular form of clinical intervention, remains understudied. Evidence from this study does not support the use of Kinesio Taping for improving postural control deficits in those with ankle instability.

No abstract

The ability of the nervous system to accommodate changes to joint mechanics is crucial in the maintenance of joint stability and the prevention of injury. This neuromechanical coupling is achieved through several mechanisms such as the central and peripheral regulation of muscle tone and subsequent alterations to joint stiffness. Following joint injury, such as a ligamentous sprains, some patients develop functional instability or require surgery to stabilize the joint, while others are able to cope and display limited impairments. Several researchers have attempted to explain these divergent outcomes, although research using proprioceptive tasks and quantifying reaction times has led to equivocal results. Recent innovations have allowed for the simultaneous measurement of mechanical and nervous system function among these subsets. The intent of this review was to explore the relationships between joint stiffness and nervous system function, and how it changes following injury. By better understanding these mechanisms, researchers and clinicians may better develop and implement rehabilitation protocols to target individual deficits among injured populations.

The side-hop, timed-hopping, multiple-hop, and foot-lift seem the best FPTs to evaluate individuals with CAI. There was a large degree of heterogeneity and inconsistent reporting, potentially limiting the clinical implementation of these FPTs. These tests are cheap, effective, alternatives compared with instrumented measures.

Context Given the frequency of ankle sprains, especially in the athletic population, prevention is a primary task of athletic trainers and other sports health care professionals. Objective To discuss the current evidence as it relates to prophylactic programs for the prevention of ankle sprains and to provide critical interpretation of the evidence supporting and refuting the implementation of preventive programs. Conclusions External prophylactic supports and preventive exercise programs are effective for reducing the risk of ankle sprains in both uninjured and previously injured populations. Ankle bracing appears to offer the best outcomes in terms of cost and risk reduction. However, there remains a paucity of well-designed, prospective randomized controlled trials relevant to the primary prevention of lateral ankle sprains, especially across a range of sport settings.

Our results support relationships between laxity and measures of excitability and inhibition that differ between healthy and unstable subjects. Future research should further investigate the mechanisms behind these findings and consider cortical influences when investigating altered joint laxity.