Spinal and Supraspinal Control in Chronic Ankle Instability

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Ankle Injuries, Ankle Sprains

In brief

Ankle sprains are common sports injuries that often lead to chronic ankle instability (CAI). Patients with CAI experience deficits in neuromuscular control (NMC), including proprioception and strength. It is believed that damage to the ankle's ligament mechanoreceptors and the peroneal nerve after the initial ankle sprain can cause alterations in NMC, resulting in postural control and dynamic joint stability dysfunction. Inflammation related to recurrent ankle sprains may also contribute to neuromuscular impairments. Evidence suggests that bilateral postural control deficits occur after an ankle sprain, suggesting alterations in the central nervous system (CNS). Rehabilitation for CAI has been shown to lead to bilateral improvements in NMC, potentially due to neural alterations at both the spinal and supraspinal levels. Cross-education, which refers to the muscular crossed effect of unilateral training, has also been proposed as a mechanism for improving contralateral strength in neurologically healthy individuals. While the exact mechanisms underlying cross-education are not yet fully understood, evidence suggests that it involves neural adaptations at both spinal and supraspinal levels. This study aims to investigate the cross-education effect of a 6-week, unilateral balance training on corticomotor excitability, motor neuron pool excitability, and static and dynamic balance in athletes with chronic ankle instability.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT06898554
Run by: Ayca Yagcioglu
People needed: 30
Starts: 2024-11-15
Expected to finish: 2025-07-31
Last updated by the study team: 2025-03-27

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 25. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

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.

You may not qualify if…

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

Where it is running

Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital — Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye) (enrolling)
Yeditepe University — Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye) (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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