Correlation Between Muscle Strength Asymmetry and Its Impact on Functional Scores after Ankle Sprain Rehabilitation

CATEGORY: Sports; Ankle INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE: Ankle sprain is one of the most common sports-related injuries. Treatment of these lesions can be performed conservatively with satisfactory results in up to 80% of cases. The main goals of rehabilitation are the recovery of mobility, strength and balance; but there is no consensus on decision make criteria to return to sport. It is known that the time elapsed from trauma may be insufficient reference and may induce early return, while the individual still does not have symmetric parameters of mobility, strength and proprioception. Purpose: To assess the proportionality of muscle strength between the healthy and rehabilitated sides 16 weeks after ankle sprain related to physical activity and to correlate with its impact on function scores. METHODS: 131 individuals, from 18 to 64 years old, were evaluated after rehabilitation of simple sprain. Physical examination was performed with anterior drawer test, measurement of leg circumference by perimetry and by the method of figure in '8'; determination of active and passive range of motion using goniometer; muscle strength conference with hand held dynamometer and finally with the application of function scores. Equality test between two proportions, T-student test, Chi-square test and Pearson correlation were used to determine the significance between the values and correlations found. RESULTS: We identified an average age of 36.1 (+- 2.5) years, 56 (42.70%) women and 75 (57.30%) men. 19.8% of sprains were severe. Limb volume and range of motion evaluations did not show significant differences. The anterior drawer remained positive in 19.1% of the individuals with the highest proportion in severe sprains (36.6%). Force asymmetry for flexion (52.7%), extension (50.4%), eversion (46.6%) and inversion (56.5%) movements above the 10% limit were observed. Impact on function scores showed a moderate correlation (0.59) with the proportionality of ankle extension forces. CONCLUSION: Individuals adequately rehabilitated after an ankle sprain and considered able to return to sports may present changes anterior drawer test and asymmetries in lower limb muscle strength impacting performance on function scores.