Effects of Different Ankle Supports on the Single-Leg Lateral Drop Landing Following Muscle Fatigue in Athletes with Functional Ankle Instability

Background: Ankle support has been utilized for athletes with functional ankle instability (FAI), however, its effect on the landing performance during muscle fatigue is not well understood. This study aimed to examine the effects of ankle supports (ankle brace vs. Kinesio tape) on athletes with FAI following fatigued single-leg landing. Methods: Thirty-three young FAI athletes (CAIT scores < 24) were randomly allocated to control (Cn), ankle brace (AB) and Kinesio tape (KT) groups. All athletes performed single-leg lateral drop landings following ankle fatigue protocol. The fatigue-induced changes in kinetic parameters were measured among three groups. Results: A significant increase in peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) was found in the AB group (0.12% body weight (BW)) compared to that of the KT (0.02% BW) and Cn (median = 0.01% BW) groups. Significant decrease in both COP medial-lateral (ML) and anterior-posterior (AP) ranges were also found in the KT group (median = −0.15% foot width (FW) & median = −0.28% foot length (FL)) than those of the Cn group (median = 0.67% FW& median = 0.88% FL). Conclusions: Ankle braces might hamper the ability to absorb the impact force during landing. On the other hand, Kinesio tape might be beneficial for the postural control during landing.