Effects of elastic tubing exercises on postural balance, ankle evertor strength, and peroneus longus latency and preactivation

Many different types of exercises have been used for rehabilitation following ankle sprains. This study examined the effectiveness of four elastic tubing exercises (front pull, back pull, crossover, and reverse crossover) on postural balance, ankle evertor strength, and peroneus longus muscle latency and preactivation of subjects with and without a history of ankle sprains. A total of forty subjects (M = 20, F = 20, age = 21.35 +/- 3.76 yr, height = 172.80 +/- 10.25 cm, and weight 68.15 +/- 13.18 kg) participated in this study. Each group consisted of equal numbers of symptomatic (S) and asymptomatic (AS) subjects. Ten subjects (M = 5, F = 5) from each symptomatic and asymptomatic group were randomly assigned to either exercise or control groups---resulting in a total of four groups: Group 1, Exercise Symptomatic; Group 2, Exercise Asymptomatic; Group 3, Control Symptomatic; and Group 4, Control Asymptomatic. The dependent variables were measured before and after a 4 week treatment period. These variables were measured again after four weeks of detraining. Results of a random coefficient growth curve model using SAS proc mixed analysis suggest that 4 weeks of exercising with the elastic tubing improved postural balance significantly more than the control (t = 5.09, p < 0.0001). Balance improvement was also greater in the symptomatic group than in the asymptomatic group (t = 2.75, p < 0.0095). This balance improvement was not significantly changed after following 4 weeks of detraining. No differences were found on latency and preactivation of the peroneus longus, or ankle evertor strength after the 4 week treatment period, nor after 4 weeks of detraining.