Corrective Exercises Improve Movement Efficiency and Sensorimotor Function but Not Fatigue Sensitivity in Chronic Ankle Instability Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of corrective exercises on functional movement patterns, sensorimotor function, self-reported function, and fatigue sensitivity in collegiate athletes with chronic ankle instability (CAI).

DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial.

SETTING: Laboratory of sports sciences.

PARTICIPANTS: Forty male volunteers were randomly assigned to the experimental group (age 21.2 ± 1.7 years, height 174.5 ± 6.1 cm, and weight 69.6 ± 6.9 kg) or the control group (age 20.9 ± 1.8 years, height 178.2 ± 6.6 cm, and weight 68.8 ± 8.1 kg).

INTERVENTION: Participants in the experimental group performed supervised corrective exercises 3 times per week for 8 weeks. Fatigue was induced with a progressive treadmill protocol before and after the 8-week intervention.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcomes included movement efficiency during 3 squat tasks, static and dynamic postural control, strength of the ankle musculature, joint position sense, and self-reported function with the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure subscales. These outcomes were assessed before and immediately after fatiguing treadmill running both before and after 8-weeks of corrective exercises.

RESULTS: Significant improvements in movement efficiency, sensorimotor function, and self-reported function were noted in the experimental group relative to the control group (P < 0.001), in a nonfatigued state. However, in a fatigued stated, the experimental intervention only improved static postural control (P = 0.016) relative to the control group.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that 8-weeks of corrective exercises were effective at enhancing movement efficiency, sensorimotor function, and self-reported function in collegiate athletes with CAI. However, this intervention program has limited abilities at reducing the effects of fatigue.