Evidence for orthotic treatment of the lateral ankle

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Footwear advice/adaptaiton

Randomised Controlled Trials

van der Zwaard, B.C., Poppe, E., Vanwanseele, B., van der Horst, H.E. and Elders, P.J., 2014. Development and evaluation of a leaflet containing shoe advice: a randomized controlled trial. Family practice, 31(3), pp.267-272.
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Cohort studies

Terrier, P., Luthi, F. and Dériaz, O., 2013. Do orthopaedic shoes improve local dynamic stability of gait? An observational study in patients with chronic foot and ankle injuries. BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 14(1), p.94.
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Laboratory Studies

Foster, A., Blanchette, M.G., Chou, Y.C. and Powers, C.M., 2012. The influence of heel height on frontal plane ankle biomechanics: implications for lateral ankle sprains. Foot & ankle international, 33(1), pp.64-69.
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Kerr, R., Arnold, G.P., Drew, T.S., Cochrane, L.A. and Abboud, R.J., 2009. Shoes influence lower limb muscle activity and may predispose the wearer to lateral ankle ligament injury. Journal of orthopaedic research, 27(3), pp.318-324.
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Mündermann, A., Nigg, B.M., Stefanyshyn, D.J. and Humble, R.N., 2002. Development of a reliable method to assess footwear comfort during running. Gait & posture, 16(1), pp.38-45.
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Insole

Meta-analyses

Konstantinos Tsikopoulos, M.D., Konstantinos Sidiropoulos, M.D., Dimitrios Kitridis, M.D., Dimitrios Metaxiotis, M.D. and Ali, A., 2019. Do External Supports Improve Dynamic Balance in Patients with Chronic Ankle Instability? A Network Meta-analysis.
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Mills, K., Blanch, P., Chapman, A.R., McPoil, T.G. and Vicenzino, B., 2010. Foot orthoses and gait: a systematic review and meta-analysis of literature pertaining to potential mechanisms. British journal of sports medicine, 44(14), pp.1035-1046.
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Randomised Controlled Trials

Baur, H., Hirschmüller, A., Müller, S. and Mayer, F., 2011. Neuromuscular activity of the peroneal muscle after foot orthoses therapy in runners. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 43(8), pp.1500-1506.
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Hamlyn, C., Docherty, C.L. and Klossner, J., 2012. Orthotic intervention and postural stability in participants with functional ankle instability after an accommodation period. Journal of athletic training, 47(2), pp.130-135.
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Cohort studies

LoPiccolo, M., Chilvers, M. and Graham, B., 2010. Effectiveness of the cavus foot orthosis. Journal of surgical orthopaedic advances, 19(3), pp.166-169.
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McKeon, P.O., Stein, A.J., Ingersoll, C.D. and Hertel, J., 2012. Altered plantar-receptor stimulation impairs postural control in those with chronic ankle instability. Journal of sport rehabilitation, 21(1), pp.1-6.
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Sesma, A.R., Mattacola, C.G., Uhl, T.L., Nitz, A.J. and McKeon, P.O., 2008. Effect of foot orthotics on single-and double-limb dynamic balance tasks in patients with chronic ankle instability. Foot & ankle specialist, 1(6), pp.330-337.
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Cross-Sectional Studies

Dingenen, B., Peeraer, L., Deschamps, K., Fieuws, S., Janssens, L. and Staes, F., 2015. Muscle-activation onset times with shoes and foot orthoses in participants with chronic ankle instability. Journal of athletic training, 50(7), pp.688-696.
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Murley, G.S. and Bird, A.R., 2006. The effect of three levels of foot orthotic wedging on the surface electromyographic activity of selected lower limb muscles during gait. Clinical Biomechanics, 21(10), pp.1074-1080.
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Literature Reviews

Richie Jr, D.H., 2007. Effects of foot orthoses on patients with chronic ankle instability. Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 97(1), pp.19-30.
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Laboratory Studies

Mündermann, A., Nigg, B.M., Stefanyshyn, D.J. and Humble, R.N., 2002. Development of a reliable method to assess footwear comfort during running. Gait & posture, 16(1), pp.38-45.
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Ankle brace

Meta-analyses

Konstantinos Tsikopoulos, M.D., Konstantinos Sidiropoulos, M.D., Dimitrios Kitridis, M.D., Dimitrios Metaxiotis, M.D. and Ali, A., 2019. Do External Supports Improve Dynamic Balance in Patients with Chronic Ankle Instability? A Network Meta-analysis.
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Raymond, J., Nicholson, L.L., Hiller, C.E. and Refshauge, K.M., 2012. The effect of ankle taping or bracing on proprioception in functional ankle instability: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 15(5), pp.386-392.
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Tsikopoulos, K., Sidiropoulos, K., Kitridis, D., Metaxiotis, D. and Ali, A., 2020. Do external supports improve dynamic balance in patients with chronic ankle instability? A Network meta-analysis. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®, 478(2), pp.359-377.
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Systematic Reviews

Kemler, E., van de Port, I., Backx, F. and van Dijk, C.N., 2011. A systematic review on the treatment of acute ankle sprain. Sports medicine, 41(3), pp.185-197.
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Randomised Controlled Trials

Cooke, M.W., Marsh, J.L., Clark, M., Nakash, R., Jarvis, R.M., Hutton, J.L., Szczepura, A., Wilson, S. and Lamb, S.E., 2009. Treatment of severe ankle sprain: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial comparing the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of three types of mechanical ankle support with tubular bandage. The CAST trial. Health technology assessment (Winchester, England), 13(13), pp.iii-ix.
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Hadadi, M., Haghighat, F., Mohammadpour, N. and Sobhani, S., 2020. Effects of Kinesiotape vs Soft and Semirigid Ankle Orthoses on Balance in Patients With Chronic Ankle Instability: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Foot & Ankle International, p.1071100720917181.
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Janssen, K.W., Hendriks, M.R., van Mechelen, W. and Verhagen, E., 2014. The cost-effectiveness of measures to prevent recurrent ankle sprains: results of a 3-arm randomized controlled trial. The American journal of sports medicine, 42(7), pp.1534-1541.
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Lamb, S.E., Marsh, J.L., Hutton, J.L., Nakash, R., Cooke, M.W. and Collaborative Ankle Support Trial (CAST Group, 2009. Mechanical supports for acute, severe ankle sprain: a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial. The Lancet, 373(9663), pp.575-581.
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Cohort studies

Eils, E., Demming, C., Kollmeier, G., Thorwesten, L., Völker, K. and Rosenbaum, D., 2002. Comprehensive testing of 10 different ankle braces: evaluation of passive and rapidly induced stability in subjects with chronic ankle instability. Clinical Biomechanics, 17(7), pp.526-535.
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Genthon, N., Bouvat, E., Banihachemi, J.J., Bergeau, J., Abdellaoui, A. and Rougier, P.R., 2010. Lateral ankle sprain alters postural control in bipedal stance: Part 2 sensorial and mechanical effects induced by wearing an ankle orthosis. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 20(2), pp.255-261.
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Wikstrom, E.A., Arrigenna, M.A., Tillman, M.D. and Borsa, P.A., 2006. Dynamic postural stability in subjects with braced, functionally unstable ankles. Journal of athletic training, 41(3), p.245.
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Case-Control Studies

Spaulding, S.J., Livingston, L.A. and Hartsell, H.D., 2003. The influence of external orthotic support on the adaptive gait characteristics of individuals with chronically unstable ankles. Gait & posture, 17(2), pp.152-158.
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AFO

Systematic Reviews

Dizon, J.M.R. and Reyes, J.J.B., 2010. A systematic review on the effectiveness of external ankle supports in the prevention of inversion ankle sprains among elite and recreational players. Journal of science and medicine in sport, 13(3), pp.309-317.
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Randomised Controlled Trials

Best, R., Böhle, C., Schiffer, T., Petersen, W., Ellermann, A., Brueggemann, G.P. and Liebau, C., 2015. Early functional outcome of two different orthotic concepts in ankle sprains: a randomized controlled trial. Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery, 135(7), pp.993-1001.
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Janssen, K.W., van Mechelen, W. and Verhagen, E.A., 2014. Bracing superior to neuromuscular training for the prevention of self-reported recurrent ankle sprains: a three-arm randomised controlled trial. Br J Sports Med, pp.bjsports-2013.
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Prado, M.P., Mendes, A.A.M., Amodio, D.T., Camanho, G.L., Smyth, N.A. and Fernandes, T.D., 2014. A comparative, prospective, and randomized study of two conservative treatment protocols for first-episode lateral ankle ligament injuries. Foot & ankle international, 35(3), pp.201-206.
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Cohort Studies

Barlow, G., Donovan, L., Hart, J.M. and Hertel, J., 2015. Effect of lace-up ankle braces on electromyography measures during walking in adults with chronic ankle instability. Physical Therapy in Sport, 16(1), pp.16-21.
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Case-Control Studies

Lee, W.C., Kobayashi, T., Choy, B.T. and Leung, A.K., 2012. Comparison of custom-moulded ankle orthosis with hinged joints and off-the-shelf ankle braces in preventing ankle sprain in lateral cutting movements. Prosthetics and orthotics international, 36(2), pp.190-195.
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Zinder, S.M., Granata, K.P., Shultz, S.J. and Gansneder, B.M., 2009. Ankle bracing and the neuromuscular factors influencing joint stiffness. Journal of athletic training, 44(4), pp.363-369.
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Conceptual Studies

Kernozek, T., Durall, C.J., Friske, A. and Mussallem, M., 2008. Ankle bracing, plantar-flexion angle, and ankle muscle latencies during inversion stress in healthy participants. Journal of Athletic Training, 43(1), pp.37-43.
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Shaw, M.Y., Gribble, P.A. and Frye, J.L., 2008. Ankle bracing, fatigue, and time to stabilization in collegiate volleyball athletes. Journal of Athletic Training, 43(2), pp.164-171.
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Tang, Y.M., Wu, Z.H., Liao, W.H. and Chan, K.M., 2010. A study of semi‐rigid support on ankle supination sprain kinematics. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 20(6), pp.822-826.
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Editorial Information

Last reviewed: 01/08/2024

Next review date: 01/08/2025

Approved By: British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (BAPO)

Reviewer name(s): Laura Barr, British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (BAPO) Professional Affairs Committee.