Affiliations: [a] Department of Exercise Health Science, National Taiwan University of Sport, Taichung, Taiwan | [b] Department of Physical Education, National Taiwan University of Sport, Taichung, Taiwan
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Yi-Wen Chang, Department of Exercise Health Science, National Taiwan University of Sport, No. 16, Section 1, Shuang-Shih Rd., Taichung, 404, Taiwan. Tel.: +886 4 2221 3108 ext 1308; Fax: +886 4 2225 8026; E-mail:changyw@ntupes.edu.tw
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Cryotherapy is a common treatment in sports injury but its
effect on proprioception and balance in patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI) is yet unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of cryotherapy on ankle proprioception
and dynamic stance balance in the subjects with CAI. METHODS: Thirty-three subjects with CAI participated in this study. A cold
pack was applied on anterior-lateral ankle area for 20 minutes.
Proprioception and star excursion balance test were performed prior to
cryotherapy, immediately after cryotherapy and 30-min after cryotherapy. A
two-way ANOVA repeated measure was performed for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The affected ankle showed a significantly greater proprioceptive
error than the unaffected ankle (p < 0.05). Immediately after application of
cryotherapy proved significantly detrimental to the reaching distance at
either baseline or 30-min after (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In subjects with CAI cryotherapy may adversely affect dynamic
stance balance particularly when the latter follows immediately the
application of the former. Coaches and athletes should be aware of this
phenomenon.
Keywords: Star excursion balance test, joint repositioning sense, joint cooling
