Differences in landing and balance deficits at the ankle joint on stable and unstable surfaces in inflexible and flexible handball players

ABSTRACT: A flexible ankle joint is suggested to be a contributing factor for sport performance, bodycontrol. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the differences in proprioception in static anddynamic movements between subjects with good ankle joint mobility (FL) and poor ankle joint mobility (IN) inmale adolescent handball players. The dorsiflexion and plantarflexion of the ankle ROM was measured, at kneeextension angle of 120°, with a goniometer. 26 male handball players participated (21.1 ± 4 yrs, 80.8 ± 10 kg,182 ± 7.38 cm). Furthermore, the players fulfilling previously recommended criteria were assigned to theflexible (n = 6) and inflexible (n = 6) groups and executed two test of static and dynamic movement (BESS Testand Star Excursion Balance Test). Results of the T TEST on IMB SPSS 26 revealed a significant (p < 0.05)group effect as (FL) group had less errors than (IN) group on BESS test. In addition, the results of the total sumon stable and unstable surface in star excursion test showed significant differences in the directions:anterolateral (7.4), posterolateral (8.6), posteromedial (7.9), medial (10.8) and anterior medial (8.1). Inconclusion, there is a correlation between poor ankle joint mobility and poor proprioception, balance control andathletic movements.

KEYWORDS: ankle stability, ankle joint mobility, BESS test, handball athletes, injury risk, star excursionbalance test