Proprioception and Balance as Predictors of Ankle Injuries Among NCAA Student Athletes

Abstract

Abstract:Ankle sprains are common in sports and account for nearly 15% of all sports-related injuries. Ankle injuries often result in functional instability of the ankle that makes these injuries susceptible to recurring. Extant research has noted that functional instability of the ankle does not result from mechanical hypermobility, but instead from a loss of neuromuscular control. Thus, it seems proprioception and balance could be a predictor of ankle sprain. Given the costs of ankle injuries for collegiate athletes (e.g., painful, potentially recurring, expensive to treat, result in loss of playing time, and may potentially impact a student athlete's potential for a career as a professional athlete), this study sought to determine if various factors such as gender, sport played, history of balance problems, self-perception of ankle stability, and the result of a modified Romberg Test could predict ankle sprain among 128 NCAA Division II student athletes.