Sensory-Mapping During the Weight-Bearing Lunge Test Across Chronic Ankle Instability, Copers, and Healthy Controls

Context : Lateral ankle sprains are among the most common musculoskeletal injuries, and in specific sporting populations, up to 70% of cases may progress to chronic ankle instability (CAI). This study explored qualitative sensations during the Weight-Bearing Lunge Test (WBLT), a reliable and valid dorsiflexion range of motion assessment, to identify differences among CAI patients, individuals who have recovered from ankle sprains (copers), and healthy controls.
Design
:

Cross-sectional study.

Methods
:

A total of 147 active adults classified as controls (n = 55), copers (n = 52), and CAI (n = 40) performed the WBLT. Two blinded raters independently collected and coded participant-reported sensations by type (eg, pain, stretching) and localization (eg, Achilles tendon, talus). Sensations were aggregated at the participant level and were analyzed using chi-square or Fisher’s Exact Tests with Bonferroni correction and effect size estimation.

Results
:

Stretching was the most common sensation across all groups (77.6%), typically localized to the posterior (61.9%) and anterior (51.7%) aspects of the leg and ankle. CAI participants reported pain more frequently than controls (42.5% vs 12.7%,
P
 = .003) as well as sensations on the lateral side of the leg and ankle more often (25% vs 3.6%,
P
 = .001). No other categories differed significantly between groups after adjustment.

Conclusions
:

CAI participants have distinct WBLT sensation profiles, underscoring the importance of qualitative assessment during the WBLT for tailoring rehabilitation strategies in this population.