Which biomechanical factors predispose to lateral ankle sprain during cutting maneuvers?

• A. Inversion with plantarflexion; poor hip/trunk control; weak peroneals; proprioception deficits; prior sprain
• B. Dorsiflexion with eversion
• C. Plantarflexion with dorsiflexion
• D. Strong ankle proprioception

Answer: (A)

Lateral ankle sprains during cutting are most likely when the foot lands in an inverted and plantarflexed position, because that posture puts the lateral ligaments of the ankle under the greatest tensile stress just as the body decelerates and changes direction. But risk increases when neuromuscular control is compromised: weak peroneal muscles reduce the ability to counteract inversion, poor hip and trunk control lets the torso and pelvis rotate or shift weight in a way that magnifies the inversion moment, and deficits in proprioception blunt the timely automatic stabilizing responses after ground contact. A prior ankle sprain further elevates risk by leaving residual laxity and sensorimotor deficits, making it easier for the ankle to invert under load.

The other scenarios don’t fit the common mechanism. Dorsiflexion with eversion tends to load the medial structures rather than the lateral ligaments. A mix described as plantarflexion with dorsiflexion isn’t a consistent position that explains the inversion moment. Strong ankle proprioception, on the other hand, would help protect against sprains rather than predispose to them.