Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34663386›Full record

Observational studyJournal of orthopaedic surgery and research2021

Efficacy of a semirigid ankle brace in reducing mechanical ankle instability evaluated by 3D stress-MRI.

Helge Eberbach, Dominic Gehring, Thomas Lange, Spartak Ovsepyan, Albert Gollhofer, Hagen Schmal, Markus Wenning

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Helge EberbachDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Str. 55, 79106, Freiburg, Germany. helge.eberbach@uniklinik-freiburg.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6974-8266
Dominic GehringDepartment of Sport and Sport Science, University of Freiburg, Schwarzwaldstrasse 175, 79117, Freiburg, Germany.
Thomas LangeCenter for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Radiology, Medical Physics, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Kilianstrasse 5, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
Spartak OvsepyanDepartment of Sport and Sport Science, University of Freiburg, Schwarzwaldstrasse 175, 79117, Freiburg, Germany.
Albert GollhoferDepartment of Sport and Sport Science, University of Freiburg, Schwarzwaldstrasse 175, 79117, Freiburg, Germany.
Hagen SchmalDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Str. 55, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
Markus WenningDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Str. 55, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNovel imaging technologies like 3D stress-MRI of the ankle allow a quantification of the mechanical instability contributing to chronic ankle instability. In the present study, we have tested the efficacy of a semirigid ankle brace on joint congruency in a plantarflexion/supination position with and without load.

methodsIn this controlled observational study of n = 25 patients suffering from mechanical ankle instability, a custom-built ankle arthrometer implementing a novel 3D-stress MRI technique was used to evaluate the stabilizing effect of an ankle brace. Three parameters of joint congruency (i.e., 3D cartilage contact area fibulotalar, tibiotalar horizontal and tibiotalar vertical) were measured. The loss of cartilage contact area from neutral position to a position combined of 40° of plantarflexion and 30° of supination without and with axial load of 200 N was calculated. A semirigid ankle brace was applied in plantarflexion/supination to evaluate its effect on joint congruence. Furthermore, the perceived stability of the brace during a hopping task was analyzed using visual analogue scale (VAS).

resultsThe application of a semirigid brace led to an increase in cartilage contact area (CCA) when the foot was placed in plantarflexion and supination. This effect was visible for all three compartments of the upper ankle joint (P < 0.001; η

conclusionsThe stabilizing effect of the semirigid ankle brace can be verified using 3D stress-MRI. Providing better joint congruency with an ankle brace may reduce peak loads at certain areas of the talus, which possibly cause osteochondral or degenerative lesions. However, the perceived stability provided by the brace does not seem to reflect into the mechanical effect of the brace. Trial registration The study protocol was prospectively registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (#DRKS00016356).

Indexed as

Ankle JointJoint InstabilityAnkleBiomechanical PhenomenaHumansMagnetic Resonance Imaging3D stress-MRIAnkle braceCartilage contact areaMechanical ankle instability

Identifiers

PMID34663386
PMCPMC8522107

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.