Finite element analysis of elastic ankle brace performance

doi:10.12307/2023.071

Abstract

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Ankle injury is a high incidence type of sports injury. Common sequelae include chronic ankle instability and repeated ankle sprain. Long-term development will form secondary arthritis, resulting in ankle dysfunction. Elastic ankle brace is a common protective device used to prevent ankle injury.
OBJECTIVE: To predict the influence of elastic ankle brace on stress of the ankle internal tissue under different motion states using finite element method so as to the influence of elastic ankle brace on ankle protection performance.
METHODS: A healthy ankle three-dimensional finite element model was constructed using reverse engineering technology, based on CT image sequences. The plantar pressure test and anterior drawer test were utilized to validate the effectiveness of the model. Ankle varus and valgus were simulated in the absence of ankle brace and under the action of three different kinds of elastic ankle brace to extract overall ankle displacement and stress distribution of the internal tissue.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The simulation results of plantar pressure of foot and ankle finite element model were in good agreement with the experimental results. The simulation results of anterior drawer test were in good agreement with the corpse experiment in literature, which proved the validity of this model. (2) Elastic ankle brace reduced the overall displacement of ankle and the peak stress of internal tissue in the states of varus, valgus, internal rotation and external rotation, and the effect was enhanced with the increase of the elastic modulus of the material. It demonstrates the protective effect of elastic ankle brace and provides a reference for the digital evaluation of the protective effect of elastic ankle brace.

Key words: ankle brace, ankle, finite element model, sports injury protection, performance evaluation

CLC Number:

Guo Tingting, Xie Hong, Xu Guanghua. Finite element analysis of elastic ankle brace performance[J]. Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research, 2023, 27(7): 1031-1037.

Figures/Tables 14

References

[1] CREMA MD, BRANISLAV K, ALI G, et al. MRI of ankle sprain: the association between joint effusion and structural injury severity in a large cohort of athletes. Eur Radiol. 2019;29(11):6336-6344.
[2] LYTLE JB, PARIKH KB, TARAKEMEH A, et al. Epidemiology of Foot and Ankle Injuries in NCAA Jumping Athletes in the United States During 2009-2014. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2021;9(4):232596712199805.
[3] ANDREOLI CV, CHIARAMONTI BC, BURIEL E, et al. Epidemiology of sports injuries in basketball: Integrative systematic review. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2018;4(1):e000468.
[4] HODGKINS CW, WESSLING NA. Epidemiology of Sports-Specific Foot and Ankle Injuries. Foot and Ankle Clin. 2020;26(1):173-185.
[5] 隋鹏举.踝部关节运动建模及踝关节康复机构设计[D].福州:福州大学,2011.
[6] 徐菲.踝足数值模型的建立及踝关节外侧失稳的距骨有限元分析[D].天津:天津医科大学,2009.
[7] VANWANSEELE B, STUELCKEN M, GREENE A, et al. The effect of external ankle support on knee and ankle joint loading in netball players. J Sci Med Sport. 2014;17(5):511-515.
[8] FUERST P, GOLLHOFER A, WENNING M, et al. People with chronic ankle instability benefit from brace application in highly dynamic change of direction movements. J Foot Ankle Res. 2021;14(1):13.
[9] FREY C, FEDER KS, SLEIGHT J. Prophylactic ankle brace use in high school volleyball players: a prospective study. Foot Ankle Int. 2010; 31(4):296-300.
[10] KLEM NR, WILD CY, WILLIAMS SA, et al. Effect of External Ankle Support on Ankle and Knee Biomechanics During the Cutting Maneuver in Basketball Players. Am J Sport Med. 2017;45(3):685-691.
[11] MATTHEW DJ, ADRIAN BS, TYE SM, et al. Effects of Preventative Ankle Taping on Planned Change-of-Direction and Reactive Agility Performance and Ankle Muscle Activity in Basketballers. J Sport Sci Med. 2015;14(4):864-876.
[12] CORDOVA ML, INGERSOLL CD. Peroneus longus stretch reflex amplitude increases after ankle brace application. Brit J Sport Med. 2003;37(3): 258-262.
[13] AKRAMI M, QIAN Z, ZOU Z, et al. Subject-specific finite element modelling of the human foot complex during walking: sensitivity analysis of material properties, boundary and loading conditions. Biomech Model Mechanobiol. 2018;17:559-576.
[14] TOHYAMA H, BEYNNON BD, RENSTRÖM PA, et al. Biomechanical analysis of the ankle anterior drawer test for anterior talofibular ligament injuries. J Orthop Res. 1995;13(4):609-614.
[15] TOHYAMA H, YASUDA K, OHKOSHI Y, et al. Anterior drawer test for acute anterior talofibular ligament injuries of the ankle. How much load should be applied during the test. Am J Sport Med. 2003;31(2):226-232.
[16] BAHR R, PENA F, SHINE J, et al. Mechanics of the anterior drawer and talar tilt tests. A cadaveric study of lateral ligament injuries of the ankle. Acta Orthop Scand. 1997;68(5):435-441.
[17] Johnson EE, Markolf KL. The contribution of the anterior talofibular ligament to ankle laxity. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1983;65(1):81-88.
[18] TERAMOTO A, IBA K, MURAHASHI Y, et al. Quantitative Evaluation of Ankle Instability Using a Capacitance-Type Strain Sensor. Foot Ankle Int. 2021;42(8):1074-1080.
[19] BEHRENS SB, DRAKOS M, LEE BJ, et al. Biomechanical analysis of Brostrom versus Brostrom-Gould lateral ankle instability repairs. Foot Ankle Int. 2013;34(4):587-592.
[20] CHEUNG TM, ZHANG M, AN KN. Effects of plantar fascia stiffness on the biomechanical responses of the ankle–foot complex. Clin Biomech. 2004;19(8):839-846.
[21] QIU TX, TEO EC, YAN YB, et al. Finite element modeling of a 3D coupled foot–boot model. Med Eng Phys. 2011;33(10):1228-1233.