Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ankle proprioception is not targeted by exercises on an unstable surface

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Laboratory study using a repeated measures design. The aim of this study was to determine if ankle proprioception is targeted in exercises on unstable surfaces. Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) has recurrence rates over 70%, which are believed to be due to a reduced accuracy of proprioceptive signals from the ankle. Proprioceptive exercises in rehabilitation of LAS mostly consist of balancing activities on an unstable surface. The methods include 100 healthy adults stood barefoot on a solid surface and a foam pad over a force plate, with occluded vision. Mechanical vibration was used to stimulate proprioceptive output of muscle spindles of triceps surae and lumbar paraspinal musculature. Each trial lasted for 60 s; vibration was applied from the 15th till the 30th second. Changes in mean velocity and mean position of the center of pressure (CoP) as a result of muscle vibration were calculated. Results show that on foam, the effect of triceps surae vibration on mean CoP velocity was significantly smaller than on a solid surface, while for paraspinal musculature vibration the effect was bigger on foam than on solid surface. Similar effects were seen for mean CoP displacement as outcome. Exercises on unstable surfaces appear not to target peripheral ankle proprioception. Exercises on an unstable surface may challenge the capacity of the central nervous system to shift the weighting of sources of proprioceptive signals on balance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ashton-Miller JA, Wojtys EM, Huston LJ, Fry-Welch D (2001) Can proprioception really be improved by exercises? Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 9:128–136

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bernier JN, Perrin DH (1998) Effect of coordination training on proprioception of the functionally unstable ankle. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 27:264–275

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brumagne S, Cordo P, Verschueren S (2004) Proprioceptive weighting changes in persons with low back pain and elderly persons during upright standing Neurosci Lett 366:63–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Brumagne S, Janssens L, Knapen S, Claeys K, Suuden-Johanson E (2008) Persons with recurrent low back pain exhibit a rigid postural control strategy. Eur Spine J 17:1177–1184

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burke D, Hagbarth KE, Lofstedt L, Wallin BG (1976a) The responses of human muscle spindle endings to vibration during isometric contraction. J Physiol 261:695–711

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burke D, Hagbarth KE, Lofstedt L, Wallin BG (1976b) The responses of human muscle spindle endings to vibration of non-contracting muscles. J Physiol 261:673–693

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caudron S, Langlois L, Nougier V, Guerraz M (2010) Attenuation of the evoked responses with repeated exposure to proprioceptive disturbances is muscle specific. Gait Posture 32:161–168

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cordo P, Gurfinkel VS, Bevan L, Kerr GK (1995) Proprioceptive consequences of tendon vibration during movement. J Neurophysiol 74:1675–1688

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cordo PJ, Gurfinkel VS, Brumagne S, Flores-Vieira C (2005) Effect of slow, small movement on the vibration-evoked kinesthetic illusion. Exp Brain Res 167:324–334

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crowe A, Matthews PB (1964) The effects of stimulation of static and dynamic fusimotor fibres on the response to stretching of the primary endings of muscle spindles. J Physiol 174:109–131

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Down S, Waddington G, Adams R, Thomson M (2007) Movement discrimination after intra-articular local anaesthetic of the ankle joint. Br J Sports Med 41:501–505

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzpatrick R, McCloskey DI (1994) Proprioceptive, visual and vestibular thresholds for the perception of sway during standing in humans J Physiol 478(Pt 1):173–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitzpatrick R, Rogers DK, McCloskey DI (1994) Stable human standing with lower-limb muscle afferents providing the only sensory input J Physiol 480(Pt 2):395–403

    Google Scholar 

  • Freeman MA, Dean MR, Hanham IW (1965) The etiology and prevention of functional instability of the foot. J Bone Joint Surg Br 47:678–685

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goodwin GM, McCloskey DI, Matthews PB (1972a) Proprioceptive illusions induced by muscle vibration: contribution by muscle spindles to perception? Science 175:1382–1384

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodwin GM, McCloskey DI, Matthews PB (1972b) The contribution of muscle afferents to kinaesthesia shown by vibration induced illusions of movement and by the effects of paralysing joint afferents. Brain 95:705–748

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hertel J (2000) Functional instability following lateral ankle sprain. Sports Med 29:361–371

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes T, Rochester P (2008) The effects of proprioceptive exercise and taping on proprioception in subjects with functional ankle instability: a review of the literature. Phys Ther Sport 9:136–147

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hupperets MD, Verhagen EA, van Mechelen W (2009a) Effect of sensorimotor training on morphological, neurophysiological and functional characteristics of the ankle: a critical review. Sports Med 39:591–605

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hupperets MD, Verhagen EA, van Mechelen W (2009b) Effect of unsupervised home based proprioceptive training on recurrences of ankle sprain: randomised controlled trial. BMJ 339:b2684

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ivanenko YP, Talis VL, Kazennikov OV (1999) Support stability influences postural responses to muscle vibration in humans. Eur J Neurosci 11:647–654

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ivanenko YP, Solopova IA, Levik YS (2000) The direction of postural instability affects postural reactions to ankle muscle vibration in humans. Neurosci Lett 292:103–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Khin MH, Ishii T, Sakane M, Hayashi K (1999) Effect of anesthesia of the sinus tarsi on peroneal reaction time in patients with functional instability of the ankle. Foot Ankle Int 20:554–559

    Google Scholar 

  • Konradsen L (2002) Factors contributing to chronic ankle instability: kinesthesia and joint position sense. J Athl Train 37:381–385

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Konradsen L, Ravn JB, Sorensen AI (1993) Proprioception at the ankle: the effect of anaesthetic blockade of ligament receptors. J Bone Joint Surg Br 75:433–436

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kynsburg A, Halasi T, Tallay A, Berkes I (2006) Changes in joint position sense after conservatively treated chronic lateral ankle instability Knee Surg Sports. Traumatol Arthrosc 14:1299–1306

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee AJ, Lin WH (2008) Twelve-week biomechanical ankle platform system training on postural stability and ankle proprioception in subjects with unilateral functional ankle instability Clin Biomech. (Bristol., Avon.) 23:1065–1072

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahboobin A, Loughlin P, Atkeson C, Redfern M (2009) A mechanism for sensory re-weighting in postural control. Med Biol Eng Comput 47:921–929

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammadi F (2007) Comparison of 3 preventive methods to reduce the recurrence of ankle inversion sprains in male soccer players. Am J Sports Med 35:922–926

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Munn J, Sullivan SJ, Schneiders AG (2010) Evidence of sensorimotor deficits in functional ankle instability: a systematic review with meta-analysis. J Sci Med Sport 13:2–12

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Otten E (1999) Balancing on a narrow ridge: biomechanics and control. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 354:869–875

    Google Scholar 

  • Roll JP, Vedel JP (1982) Kinaesthetic role of muscle afferents in man, studied by tendon vibration and microneurography. Exp Brain Res 47:177–190

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roll JP, Vedel JP, Ribot E (1989) Alteration of proprioceptive messages induced by tendon vibration in man: a microneurographic study. Exp Brain Res 76:213–222

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sabbahi MA, Fox AM, Druffle C (1990) Do joint receptors modulate the motoneuron excitability? Electromyogr Clin Neurophysiol 30:387–396

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • van der Wees PJ, Lenssen AF, Hendriks EJ, Stomp DJ, Dekker J, de Bie RA (2006) Effectiveness of exercise therapy and manual mobilisation in ankle sprain and functional instability: a systematic review. Aust J Physiother 52:27–37

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Deun S, Staes FF, Stappaerts KH, Janssens L, Levin O, Peers KKH (2007) Relationship of chronic ankle instability to muscle activation patterns during the transition from double-leg to single-leg stance. Am J Sports Med 35:274–281

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vuillerme N, Pinsault N (2007) Re-weighting of somatosensory inputs from the foot and the ankle for controlling posture during quiet standing following trunk extensor muscles fatigue. Exp Brain Res 183:323–327

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yeung MS, Chan KM, So CH, Yuan WY (1994) An epidemiological survey on ankle sprain. Br J Sports Med 28:112–116

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zazulak BT, Hewett TE, Reeves NP, Goldberg B, Cholewicki J (2007) The effects of core proprioception on knee injury: a prospective biomechanical-epidemiological study. Am J Sports Med 35:368–373

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Group Lifestyle and Health, University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Bolognalaan 101, 3584 CJ, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Henri Kiers

  2. Department Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Simon Brumagne & Luc Vanhees

  3. Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jaap van Dieën

  4. Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Philip van der Wees

  5. School Caphri for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Philip van der Wees

  6. Research Group Lifestyle and Health, University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Luc Vanhees

Authors
  1. Henri Kiers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Simon Brumagne
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jaap van Dieën
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Philip van der Wees
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Luc Vanhees
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Henri Kiers.

Additional information

Communicated by Fausto Baldissera.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kiers, H., Brumagne, S., van Dieën, J. et al. Ankle proprioception is not targeted by exercises on an unstable surface. Eur J Appl Physiol 112, 1577–1585 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-2124-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-2124-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation