When to Start Bipedal Exercises in Chronic Ankle Instability: Comparing Early vs. Late Exercise Timing

What this Trial Is About

Ankle sprains are common musculoskeletal injuries, making up 15-30% of such cases. Many patients experience repeated ankle sprains after an initial injury, and inadequate treatment can lead to chronic ankle instability (CAI) in 30-70% of cases. This research aims to compare the effects of unipedal versus bipedal exercise programs in early rehabilitation for people with CAI, focusing on pain, functional stability, fear avoidance, disease severity, and patient satisfaction. Participants diagnosed with CAI will be randomly assigned to one of two exercise groups: an early bipedal exercise group or a late bipedal exercise group. Both groups will receive supervised proprioceptive, resistive, neuromuscular exercises, and stretching guided by a physiotherapist twice a week for 8 weeks. The early group will use both limbs actively during the first four weeks, while the late group will do so during the last four weeks. Throughout the 24-week study, participants will be assessed for pain using the Visual Analog Scale, functional performance with the Single Leg Hop Test, and fear avoidance with the Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale at multiple time points. Additional measures include ankle instability, joint motion, foot and ankle ability, balance tests, and overall change ratings. Researchers will monitor progress and satisfaction to understand which exercise timing better supports recovery and function in CAI.

Bipedal vs. Unipedal Exercises in Chronic Ankle Instability