Impact of Ankle-Foot Orthosis Stiffness and Muscle Coactivation on Ankle Injury During Landing

Abstract

Ankle sprains are more common injuries that encounter in daily physical and various sports activities. Stiffness of an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) and muscle co-activation may influence the risk of an ankle injury. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of passive ankle-foot orthosis stiffness and muscle co-activation on ankle inversion injury. The landing on the platform is being performed for different stiffness of AFOs, with and without muscle co-activation. Results indicate that increasing AFO stiffness reduces the subtalar angle, i.e., reduces the chance of ankle injury. Thus, the use of an AFO with muscle co-activation mitigates the ankle inversion injury. A moderate AFO's stiffness is best fit in the prevention of ankle injuries.