Spinal and Supraspinal Control in Chronic Ankle Instability

Launched by AYCA YAGCIOGLU · Mar 21, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how a special type of balance training can help athletes who have chronic ankle instability (CAI) after repeated ankle sprains. Ankle sprains are common injuries in sports, and they can cause long-term problems with balance and strength. The researchers want to see if a 6-week program of training on one leg can improve not only the injured ankle but also the overall balance and strength of the other leg. This is called "cross-education," where training one side of the body can help the other side too.

To be eligible for this study, participants need to be athletes aged 18-25 who play field sports like basketball or volleyball, and have a history of at least two significant ankle sprains that were diagnosed by a doctor. They should also have specific symptoms related to their ankle instability. However, people with recent ankle injuries, those who have had surgery, or anyone with balance disorders will not be able to participate. If eligible, participants can expect to engage in balance training and undergo assessments to measure improvements in balance and strength over the course of the study.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Volunteering to participate in the study,
• • Being an athlete between the ages of 18-25,
• • Being a player in a field team sport such as basketball, volleyball, and handball,
• • Having a history of at least 2 significant grade II LAS diagnosed by a physician,
• • Related inflammatory symptoms, "giving away" sensation, obtaining a score ≤25 from the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT),
• • A score \<90% for the activities of daily living subscale and \<80% for the sport subscale from the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure,
• • Recurrent episodes of LAS of the injured ankle which occurred within at least 12 months.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Acute injury of lower extremity musculoskeletal structures in the last three months,
• • Orthopedic surgery in any of the lower extremities,
• • Bilateral ankle instability,
• • Vestibular or balance disorder