Ankle Sprains & Brains..?!

⚠️ "I sprained my ankle, now what?"⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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A Jan 2020 study reported increasing levels of ankle instability correlated with deficits in neurocognitive function. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Including:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
◾️Composite Memory⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
◾️Verbal Memory⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
◾️Visual Memory⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
◾️Psychomotor Speed⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
◾️Reaction Time⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
◾️Complex Attention⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
◾️Cognitive Flexibility⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
◾️Processing Speed⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
◾️Executive Function⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
◾️Simple Attention⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
◾️Motor Speed⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
(via “CNS Vital Signs” test 💻).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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👨🏼‍🤝‍👨🏾 Who was tested?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
◾️No ankle sprains or instability (n=14)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
◾️History of ankle sprains but recovered stability (n=13)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
◾️Ankle sprains with instability (Score <24 via CAIT) (n=14)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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📊 What they found?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
40% of ankle sprains lead to CAI. The CAI group displayed deficits most frequently across all domains with 21.4% scoring below average, compared to the non-sprain group at 8.3% & the recovered group at 18.6%.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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🤷🏻‍♀️ What does this mean? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It’s important to remember this is a correlation reported across 41 college males. What we should NOT do is say that ALL people with ankle sprains or instability are “less smart”. That would be a rude extrapolation. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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👉🏼 What do we do about it?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
If you or a patient you clinically treat has experienced an ankle sprain or lives with CAI, then consider implementing visuomotor (cognitive dual-tasks) training into the rehab or injury prevention programs!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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📰 Reference:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Rosen AB, McGrath ML, Maerlender AL. Jan 2020. Research in Sports Med. doi: 10.1080/15438627.2020.1723099.⠀