The effect of peroneal muscle fatigue on ankle joint position sense

Abstract 

Objectives

To analyse the effect of fatigue of the peroneal muscles on ankle joint position sense (JPS) in various angles of inversion and eversion.

Design

Repeated measures design.

Setting

University exercise laboratory.

Participants

Thirty-five subjects (male: n=10; female: n=25), age range 19–36 years with no injury to the right ankle in the past 2 years, no neurological deficits, ankle or foot orthopaedic disorders, balance disorders, or disorders of vision not correctable by glasses.

Main outcome measures

Joint position sense error of active target angle before and after a fatiguing exercise programme of the peroneal muscles using an isokinetic dynamometer.

Results

Fatiguing exercise of the peroneal muscles did not significantly alter JPS error at the three target angles (90° inversion: −0.3±7.6 to −2.2±7.2°; 20° inversion: 4.7±5.5 to 2.8±6.3°; 90° eversion: 0.5±3.8 to −0.2±7.2°; P<0.05).

Conclusions

Fatigue of the peroneal muscles did not affect ankle JPS, suggesting that either proprioception is fatigue resistant in the peroneal muscles or other structures in the ankle (e.g. ligaments, capsule) may play a significant proprioceptive role.

Keywords: Inversion, Eversion, Proprioception