Task-specific effects of visual reliance on visuomotor reactive performance in individuals with chronic ankle instability

Phys Ther Sport. 2026 May 6;80:101926. doi: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2026.101926. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To investigate task-specific relationships between visual reliance during postural control and visuomotor reactive performance in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI).

DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.

SETTING: Laboratory.

PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-five participants with CAI.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Relationships between anteroposterior and mediolateral visual reliance during eyes-open and eyes-closed single-leg standing and visuomotor reactive performance from a reactive balance test (RBT) and a reactive single-leg hop-to-stabilization (RSH) were examined.

RESULTS: During the RBT, increased anteroposterior visual reliance was associated with slower visuomotor reaction time (r = 0.45, p = 0.02). In the RSH, greater mediolateral visual reliance was related to increased sagittal plane knee and hip displacement (knee: r = 0.414, p = 0.04; hip: r = 0.496, p = 0.01), longer jump distance (r = 0.44, p = 0.03), and higher center of pressure velocity (r = 0.45, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS: In CAI, visual reliance exhibits task specific effects contingent on visuomotor demands. While it serves as an effective compensatory strategy to enhance performance in less demanding tasks, it leads to systemic overload under high visuomotor demands. Therefore, rehabilitation should incorporate task specific visuomotor challenges to facilitate functional recovery.

PMID:42107170 | DOI:10.1016/j.ptsp.2026.101926