Comparison of Motor Planning in the Cerebral Cortex During Gait Initiation Between Athletes with Chronic Ankle Instability and Healthy Individuals

Lateral ankle sprains are among the most common musculoskeletal injuries, with over 70% of affected individuals developing chronic ankle instability (CAI). This condition leads to both mechanical impairments and functional limitations, and the persistence of symptoms like pain and swelling suggests that current rehabilitation strategies may be inadequate. These residual symptoms can result in alterations to brain function, particularly in the cerebral cortex, which controls voluntary movement. Gait initiation (GI), a fundamental task in daily life, offers a safe and effective means of assessing sensorimotor and neuromuscular deficits. This study aimed to investigate motor cortex activity during gait initiation in athletes with CAI compared to healthy individuals. Twenty-six participants were enrolled, divided into two groups: CAI and control (CON). After informed consent, participants completed the FAAM and Cumberland questionnaires. Following a warm-up, they stood on a force plate while wearing an EEG cap. Gait initiation was triggered by an auditory cue, and EEG data were collected using EEGLAB and analyzed with MATLAB. Analysis of motor planning parameters, including theta (4–8 Hz), alpha (8–12 Hz), beta (14–25 Hz), and gamma (35–50 Hz) frequency bands, revealed significant differences between the CAI and CON groups (p < 0.05). Theta activity, associated with attention and focus, showed significant differences at channels Fcz, Cz, and Cp4. Alpha band activity, linked to the activation and inhibition of sensorimotor functions, also showed significant differences at F4, Fz, Fc3, and Cp4. These findings indicate that athletes with CAI exhibit altered motor planning strategies, as demonstrated by changes in theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands, particularly in the frontal and parietal regions of the brain. These changes were characterized by reduced power in all examined frequency bands in the CAI group, suggesting disruptions in cortical motor planning compared to healthy individuals.