Alterations of lower extremity function, health-related quality of life, and spatiotemporal gait parameters among individuals with chronic ankle instability

Objective: To identify differences in patient-reported outcome questionnaires and spatiotemporal gait parameters during walking between individuals with and without chronic ankle instability (CAI) and to identify relationships between patient-oriented outcome and spatiotemporal gait parameters. Participants: Twenty-four individuals with CAI and 24 controls were included in this study. Main outcome measures: All participants completed the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure including the Activities of Daily Living and Sport Subscales, the Western Ontario and McMasters Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), the Lower Extremity Functional Scale, and the Korean version of the EuroQol 5-Dimension (KEQ-5D). Participants walked in a laboratory setting to collect spatiotemporal gait parameter data. Results: All questionnaire scores from the male CAI group were lower than those from the control group. The female group yielded lower questionnaire scores than the controls, with an exception for KEQ-5D. The differences between the female CAI and female control groups in temporal gait parameters were significant. Correlations were observed between the WOMAC scores of the male participants and spatiotemporal gait parameters. In females, there were correlations between the patient-reported outcomes and spatiotemporal gait parameters. Conclusions: CAI patients need treatment not only for ankle function but also lower extremity function and gait performance.