Whereas taping and bracing are functionally supportive devices of the ankle, proprioceptive balance board training is aimed at changing ankle structural characteristics by re-strengthening muscles and ligaments and restoring proprioception of the damaged structures around the ankle [ 17- 19].
A randomised, controlled trial, with blind assessment, was designed to study the effect of a physiotherapy intervention on foot rollover during gait, range of motion, muscle strength and function of the foot and ankle, and balance confidence.
You will want to tighten your gluteus (butt muscles) and stack the hip, knee, and ankle joints balancing on the front of the heel.
Understanding the mechanism underlying ankle proprioception and balance control may foreshadow optimal interventions to improve balance control in sport.
This study tested a 3-month ankle-strengthening and walking program designed to improve or maintain the fall-related outcomes of balance, ankle strength, walking speed, risk of falling, fear of falling, and confidence to perform daily activities without falling (falls efficacy) in elderly nursing home residents.
We compared the contribution of the hip and ankle joints to balance control of 15 unilateral transtibial amputees and 13 able-bodied controls after been externally perturbed through release of a pulling force.
If central processing of proprioceptive information links ankle proprioception and balance control, then this has implications for ankle proprioceptive assessment.
Both ankle proprioception and balance control are essential in sports [ 2, 3, 18, 40], and passive or active interventions to improve ankle proprioception and balance control, particularly after ankle injury, have been extensively reported in the literature [ 5, 11].
If correct, future sport talent identification may need to consider natural aptitude in both ankle proprioception and balance ability when selecting potential elite athletes.
However, the effect of ankle bracing on balance and postural control has been investigated by a limited number of studies that have demonstrated both positive and negative findings.
