Impact of Ankle-Foot Orthosis Stiffness and Muscle Coactivation on Ankle Injury During Landing

Ankle sprains are more common injuries that encounter in daily physical and various sports activities. Stiffness of an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) and muscle co-activation may influence the risk of an ankle injury. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of passive ankle-foot orthosis stiffness and muscle co-activation on ankle inversion injury. The landing on the platform is being performed for different stiffness of AFOs, with and without muscle co-activation. Results indicate that increasing AFO stiffness reduces the subtalar angle, i.e., reduces the chance of ankle injury. Thus, the use of an AFO with muscle co-activation mitigates the ankle inversion injury. A moderate AFO's stiffness is best fit in the prevention of ankle injuries.