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Local anaesthetics use does not suppress muscle activity following an ankle injection

  • Ankle
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

To determine if peroneus longus (PL), peroneus brevis (PB), medial gastrocnemius (MG) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscle activation patterns during inversion perturbation and running tasks are suppressed following lidocaine injection to the anterior talofibular (ATF) and calcaneofibular (CF) ligament regions.

Methods

Fourteen recreationally active male subjects (age, 24.8 ± 2.9 years; height, 177.0 ± 6.0 cm; mass, 77.7 ± 6.7 kg) participated. Testing was performed under five injection conditions to the ATF and CF regions: 1 ml saline, 1 ml lidocaine, 3 ml saline, 3 ml lidocaine or no injection. Following injection condition, traditional ankle taping was applied. Electromyography patterns of the PL, PB, MG and TA were collected while subjects performed continuous lateral jumps on a custom-built device which elicited an ankle inversion perturbation and treadmill running (3.35 m s−1, 0.5 % incline).

Results

No significant differences were demonstrated in muscle activation patterns of the PL (n.s.), PB (n.s.), MG (n.s.) or TA (n.s.) for any variable across injected conditions during both tasks. Statistical power was 0.214–0.526 for the PL, 0.087–0.638 for the PB, 0.115–0.560 for the MG and 0.118–0.410 for the TA.

Conclusions

Injection of lidocaine up to 3 ml to the ATF and CF regions did not suppress muscle activity of the PL, PB, MG or TA during the inversion perturbation or running tasks. Injection up to 3 ml of 1 % lidocaine to the ATF and CF regions may be used without sacrificing the muscle activation patterns about the ankle. This finding is clinically relevant since the use of the injection does not put the patient at any higher risk of reinjury to the site.

Level of evidence

I.

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Acknowledgments

The investigators wish to thank Bob and Gerri Martin for funding this research study.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    David A. Stone

  2. Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    John P. Abt, Jonathan J. Pederson, Karen A. Keenan & Scott M. Lephart

  3. Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, 3830 South Water Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15203, USA

    John P. Abt

  4. Department of Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Health, Environment, and Science, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, PA, USA

    Anthony J. House

  5. Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Jonathan S. Akins

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  1. David A. Stone
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Correspondence to John P. Abt.

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Stone, D.A., Abt, J.P., House, A.J. et al. Local anaesthetics use does not suppress muscle activity following an ankle injection. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 21, 1269–1278 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-012-1984-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-012-1984-8

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