Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Assistant Professor of Sport Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Department of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, Ragheb Isfahan Institute of Higher Education, Isfahan, Iran.
2
Associate Professor, Department of Sport Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
3
Professor, Department of Sport Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
10.22084/rsr.2025.30754.1771
Abstract
Background and Aim: Despite the significant role of jumping, changing direction, and landing in ankle sprain occurrences, previous studies have not investigated asymmetries in these tasks among professional soccer players with and without chronic ankle instability (CAI). Furthermore, the relationships between different types of asymmetries remain unknown. This study aimed to compare asymmetries in the aforementioned movements and analyze their interrelationships in professional players with and without CAI.
Methods: Seventy professional male soccer players (32 with CAI and 38 without CAI) completed single-leg triple hop (SLTH), modified 505 change-of-direction (Mod505), and single-leg drop landing (SLDL) tests. Based on normality test results, between-group asymmetry comparisons were conducted using independent t-tests (normal data) or Mann-Whitney U tests (non-normal data). Correlational analyses were performed using Pearson’s coefficient (normal data) or Spearman’s rank (non-normal data).
Results: Results revealed that players with CAI exhibited significantly greater asymmetries in SLTH, Mod505, and SLDL performance compared to healthy controls (P < 0.05). Furthermore, correlational analyses across CAI players, healthy players, and the entire cohort revealed no statistically significant relationships between different types of movement asymmetry (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: The findings indicate that CAI players exhibit greater movement asymmetries; however, no interdependence exists between the types of asymmetry. This highlights the importance of task-specific rehabilitation, as well as multidimensional and task-oriented assessments, in this population.
Keywords
Main Subjects
)