Background and Aim: Lateral ankle sprains are one of the most prevalent injuries in high school, college, and recreational sports. The risk of repeat injury increases when hip musclesʼ strength alters in female athletes with a history of ankle sprain due to distal injury. The purpose of this study was to make a comparison between hip muscle isometric strength of injured and healthy legs in female collegiate athletes with a history of inversion ankle sprains.

Material and Material: Twenty subjects (age 22.5 ± 2 years, weight 64.24 ± 10.45 kg, height 163.85 ± 5.2 cm) with a history of at least 2 unilateral ankle inversion sprains in the previous three months participated in this study. Demographic data of the subjects were recorded in the questionnaires, and then the measurement protocol began. At the same time, the participants' uninvolved limbs were regarded as our control group. Hand held dynamometer (model 01160 Nicholas) used to assess hip abductor and extensor muscle strength in both limbs. We used paired t-test to compare hip muscle strength between injured and unaffected limbs.

Results: The results of strength tests indicated lower mean values of hip abductor and extensor muscle strength in the injured limb compared to the uninjured limb, but no significant difference was noted in the hip muscle strength between the different sides. Although the athletes had history of inversion ankle sprain, they did not show any decrease in the hip abductor and extensor muscle strength.

Conclusion: This study showed that exercise experiences can compensate for the probable weaknesses of hip muscle strength in the injured limbs. 

Keywords: Ankle sprain, Female athletes, Hip abductor muscles strength.

Received: Oct 8, 2014      Accepted: Sep 7, 2015