My ongoing line of research has focused on the proper assessment and prevention of ankle instability. Though functional ankle instability is a multifaceted phenomenon, I have concentrated on the strength, proprioception, and functional deficits that are often present with this injury. The ability to determine if certain characteristics may predispose someone to ankle injuries provides the opportunity to implement preventative measures and potentially decrease the frequency of these injuries. Functional ankle instability has traditionally been assessed in a myriad of ways and has generally been very subjective in nature; therefore, I have also developed the Ankle Instability Instrument to provide a more objective means to properly identify this phenomenon. Reliability and validity of this instrument have been investigated, and subsequent research projects will continue to integrate this measure into proper identification of participants with ankle instability.
