Pelvic Parameters in Males With and Without Ankle Instability

This cross-sectional case-control study aims to investigate the relationship between chronic ankle instability and pelvic sagittal alignment in male athletes. Chronic ankle instability may lead to alterations in lower limb biomechanics, postural control, and proximal body alignment, including pelvic positioning.

Participants will be divided into two groups: athletes with chronic ankle instability and healthy athletes without a history of ankle instability. All participants will undergo clinical evaluation, functional assessment, and radiographic measurement of pelvic sagittal parameters.

Clinical assessment will include evaluation of ankle instability severity, pain intensity, and dynamic balance performance using validated assessment tools. Pelvic alignment parameters will be assessed radiographically to identify potential biomechanical differences between groups.

The findings of this study may contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between chronic ankle instability and proximal biomechanical adaptations, which may improve rehabilitation and injury prevention strategies in athletes.

Inclusion criteria

• Male football players aged between 18 and 35 years (Herzog et al., 2019; Jiang et al., 2022).
• A documented history of lateral ankle sprain (LAS) for at least 12 months before the study, with the initial injury resulting in a minimum of one day of weight-bearing restriction.
• Self-reported episodes of ankle "giving way" occurring at least twice within the 6-12 months preceding enrollment.
• The most recent injury must have occurred more than 3 months before study enrollment.
• A perceived sense of the injured ankle being chronically weaker and/or less functional than the contralateral side before the first LAS episode.
• A Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) score of less than 24 indicates chronic ankle instability.
• For group B: participants with no previous history of ankle sprain.

Exclusion criteria

• Bilateral LAS (Tahoon et al., 2022).
• Previous injury, fracture, or surgical intervention involving the spine, pelvis, or lower extremity.
• History of low back pain requiring medical or surgical intervention.
• Engagement in supervised or unsupervised ankle rehabilitation within one month before the study.
• Any LAS occurring within three months before participation.
• Leg length discrepancy exceeding 0.5 cm.