People With Chronic Ankle Instability Adopted More Conservative Movement Strategies During Side-cutting In Dual-task Condition

People with chronic ankle instability (CAI) exhibit intricate neurophysiological changes, particularly evident during dual-task (DT) perturbations, reflecting altered movement strategies. However, there is limited and conflicting information regarding the impact of cognitive loading on ankle movement strategies among people with CAI. PURPOSE: To investigate the differences in ankle movement strategies among people with and without CAI when performing 45° side-cutting in single-task (ST) and DT conditions. METHODS: Forty participants with and without CAI were recruited and assigned into CAI (n=20, age: 21.4±1.3 years, height: 175.7±8.6 cm, body mass: 71.7±12.4 kg) or non-CAI (n=20, age: 21.1±2.0 years, height: 176.2±7.7 cm, body mass: 70.1±11.2 kg) groups. Five side-cutting trials were performed by each participant in both the ST and DT conditions. The ST involved side-cutting tasks only, and the DT involved side-cutting tasks while performing random three-digit minus three calculations. Kinematic data was recorded by a twelve-camera motion capture system at 100 Hz. The ankle's maximum (max) inversion angle and the velocity of center of gravity (COG) during the side-cutting phase were calculated. Two-factor (task by group) ANOVA with repeated measures was used to analyze data. RESULTS: Significant interactions were detected in the ankle's max inversion angle (p<0.001, η2p=0.346) and the velocity of COG (p<0.001, η2p=0.304). Compared with ST, people with and without CAI both showed a reduced ankle's max inversion angle (CAI: ST: 24.3±1.6°, DT: 18.8±1.6°, p<0.001, d=4.11; non-CAI: ST: 27.1±1.6°, DT: 25.8±1.7°, p=0.05, d=0.77) and decreased velocity of COG (CAI: ST: 2.5±0.1 m/s, DT: 2.1±0.1 m/s, p<0.001, d=0.77; non-CAI: ST: 2.6±0.1 m/s, DT: 2.5±0.1 m/s, p<0.001 d=1.43) under DT. The ankle's max inversion angle (CAI: ST: 24.3±1.6°, DT: 18.8±1.6°, p<0.001, d=4.11; non-CAI: ST: 27.1±1.6°, DT: 25.8±1.7°, p=0.05, d=0.77) and velocity of COG (CAI: ST: 2.5±0.1 m/s; DT: 2.1±0.1 m/s, p<0.001, d=0.77; non-CAI: ST: 2.6±0.1 m/s, DT: 2.5±0.1 m/s, p<0.001, d=1.43) of people with CAI was lower than people without CAI under DT. CONCLUSION: People with CAI would adopt more conservative movement strategies by reducing movement speed and ankle inversion angle during side-cutting in DT condition.