The influence of lateral wedged insoles on performance and ankle joint biomechanics of lateral movements

Abstract

In many sports, it is imperative to have the ability to quickly change directions, whilst avoiding injury. Faster changes of direction can be facilitated through greater horizontal ground reaction forces (GRF) and greater horizontal to vertical GRF ratios (H/V ratio). Research has shown that these results are attainable with a laterally banked surface (Wannop et al., 2014). In addition to performance, a lateral bank has the potential to restrict dangerous ankle range of motions, thus reducing a risk factor for inversion ankle sprain injuries. To incorporate a laterally banked surface into a sport setting, lateral wedged insoles can be placed inside footwear, to mimic the structure of a banked surface.