PROPRIOCEPTION OF ANKLE JOINT IN YOUNG HOCKEY PLAYERS

Postural control stability is significantly affected by proprioception in the lower limb. Moreover, the lack of proprioceptive feedback that results from injuries, such as ankle injury, may allow the excessive or inappropriate loading of a joint4, and is one of the factors that leads to progressive degeneration of the joint and continued deficits in joint dynamics, balance, and coordination. Much clinical research has demonstrated that individuals with proprioception and neuromuscular response deficits as a result of injury, lesions, and joint degeneration are less capable of maintaining postural stability and equilibrium. However, no normal reference data on ankle proprioception represented by kinesthesia in healthy young people are available. And if some exercise, such as hockey /skating exerts effects on ankle proprioception is unclear. The objectives of the study were to study the ankle kinesthesia in plantarflexion-dorsiflexion and inversion-eversion movements in healthy young people and young hockey players so as to get a preliminary understanding to the ankle proprioception of healthy young people and to examine the effects of hockey exercise on ankle proprioception.