Brain activity during ankle movements in female athletes with chronic ankle instability: a pilot fMRI investigation.

Zuleger, Taylor M.; Hogg, Jennifer A.; Joganpalli, Liamith Rao; Warren, Shayla M.; Sengkhammee, Lexie M.; Slaton, Jake A.; McPherson, April L.; Slutsky-Ganesh, Alexis; Riehm, Christopher D.; Myer, Gregory D.; Diekfuss, Jed A.

Abstract

This pilot study aimed to evaluate brain activity in sensorimotor regions during a unilateral ankle movement (dorsiflexion/plantarflexion) task using functional magnetic resonance imaging in female collegiate athletes with and without chronic ankle instability. This is a cross-section study set in a sports performance and research centre with participants of twenty-two female soccer athletes from a Division III university (chronic ankle instability: n = 11; control: n = 11) to measure brain activity during a unilateral ankle movement functional magnetic resonance imaging task. Neuroimaging analyses revealed significant differences in sensorimotor brain activity, with greater activity in the ipsilateral primary motor cortex in the chronic ankle instability group compared to the control group (p =.039). Altered brain activity during unilateral ankle movements in athletes with chronic ankle instability could reflect disruptions in central nervous system processing. These preliminary findings offer a potential mechanistic target for rehabilitation strategies aimed at restoring central nervous system function and improving motor control in athletes with chronic ankle instability.

Citation

ZULEGER, T.M., HOGG, J.A., JOGANPALLI, L.R., WARREN, S.M., SENGAKHAMMEE, L.M., SLATON, J.A., MCPHERSON, A.L., SLUTSKY-GANESH, A., RIEHM, C.D., MYER, G.D. and DIEKFUSS, J.A. 2025. Brain activity during ankle movements in female athletes with chronic ankle instability: a pilot fMRI investigation. Gait and posture [online], In Press, article number 109988. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.109988

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 25, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Sep 26, 2025
• Deposit Date: Sep 26, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 27, 2026
• Journal: Gait and posture
• Print ISSN: 0966-6362
• Electronic ISSN: 1879-2219
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Article Number: 109988
• Keywords: Chronic ankle instability; Female athletes; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Sensorimotor control
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/3034298