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Alterated ligamento-muscular reflex pattern after stimulation of the anterior talofibular ligament in functional ankle instability

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

Abstract

Purpose

Ligamento-muscular reflex pattern following stimulation of the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) was examined.

Methods

The peroneus longus (PL), the tibialis anterior (TA), and tibialis posterior (TP) muscles were investigated in sixteen patients with functional ankle instability (FAI) and 16 age- and gender-matched controls. The ATFL was stimulated with a fine wire electrode while electromyographic (EMG) activities were recorded during isometric foot contraction of 20% maximal force in plantarflexion, dorsiflexion, supination and pronation. The complete measurement was repeated after a peroneal block anesthesia.

Results

Statistically significant changes in post-stimulus EMG activity were observed in all three muscles and all four tested foot positions. In supination, the PL showed no reactions in both groups before and after anesthesia. The post-stimulus inhibition of the TA seen after 80 and 180 ms disappeared in controls after anesthesia. The TP had similar inhibitory responses in both groups.

Conclusion

Ligamento-muscular reflex pattern is alterated in FAI. While early reactions are essential in protecting the ankle joint in sudden movements, the later responses indicate a supraspinal control of neuromuscular stability of the ankle joint. Proprioceptive rehabilitation of the PL, TA, and TP is crucial in FAI to compensate for post-traumatic ligamentomuscular reflex deficiencies.

Level of evidence

II.

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Abbreviations

ATFL:

Anterior talofibular ligament

CFL:

Calcaneofibular ligament

EMG:

Electromyography

FAI:

Functional ankle instability

PL:

Peroneus longus muscle

TA:

Tibialis anterior muscle

TP:

Tibialis posterior muscle

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Acknowledgements

We thank Ursula Range (Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, University Hospital ‘‘Carl Gustav Carus’’, Dresden, Germany) for statistical support, Jonas K. E. Persson, MD, PhD (Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Section of Neurophysiology, Stockholm, Sweden), Thomas Albrecht and Heiko Lange (Center for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, University Hospital ‘‘Carl Gustav Carus), and Christian Retschke (Leipzig) for logistic support as well as Jochen Schäfer, MD, and Martin Pette, MD, PhD (Department of Neurology, University Hospital „Carl Gustav Carus“, Dresden, Germany). Furthermore, we thank Axel Kalpen (novel biomechanic laboratory, https://www.novel.de, Ismaninger Straße 51, 81675 Munich, Germany) for technical support.

Funding

This study has been financially supported by Bauerfeind AG, Zeulenroda-Triebes, Germany (Grant no.: 100_3380). The authors disclose any financial conflicts of interest that may influence the interpretation of this study and/or results.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Burn Unit, Klinikum Sankt Georg, Delitzscher Straße 141, 04129, Leipzig, Germany

    Susanne Rein

  2. Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany

    Susanne Rein

  3. Department of Clinical Science and Education, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    Elisabet Hagert

  4. Arcademy, H.M Queen Sophia Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

    Elisabet Hagert

  5. Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital, Franz-Joseph-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany

    Thorben Sterling-Hauf

Authors
  1. Susanne Rein
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  2. Elisabet Hagert
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  3. Thorben Sterling-Hauf
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Contributions

All authors made substantive intellectual contributions to this study, in conception and design (SR, EH, TSH), acquisition of data (SR, TSH), analysis and interpretation of data (SR, EH, TSH), drafting and revising the manuscript (SR, EH, TSH), as well as final approval of the version to be submitted (SR, EH, TSH). All authors have read and approved the final submitted manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susanne Rein.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethical approval

The local ethical committee of the Medical Faculty of the Technical University Dresden approved this study under the processing number: EK34022012.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Rein, S., Hagert, E. & Sterling-Hauf, T. Alterated ligamento-muscular reflex pattern after stimulation of the anterior talofibular ligament in functional ankle instability. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 29, 1544–1553 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-020-06232-w

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