Acute effects of whole-body vibration on ankle motion smoothness in individuals with chronic ankle instability

BackgroundHigh ankle motion smoothness involves small acceleration or deceleration, which is related to ankle stability. Interventions for ankle motion smoothness are important to reduce the progression of chronic ankle instability (CAI) symptoms and prevent recurrent ankle sprains. Training using whole-body vibration (WBV) may easily and effectively improve ankle motion smoothness; however, its effects have not yet been investigated.ObjectivesWe aimed to clarify the acute effects of WBV training on ankle motion smoothness in patients with CAI.DesignRandomized controlled trials.MethodOverall, 31 university students from a basketball team with CAI were included. Training was performed using a WBV device in both groups. The WBV group was administered with WBV using the device, whereas the NWBV group was not administered with WBV. Only one training session was performed in each group immediately after the premeasurements. The main outcome measure was the mean angular jerk cost of the ankle joint in plantar/dorsal flexion and in inversion/eversion during the star excursion balance test (SEBT), which were measured using accelerometers.Results/findings: No significant group × time interaction was noted for the mean angular jerk cost of the ankle joint in any direction (anterior, posterolateral, or posteromedial) during ankle inversion/eversion or plantar/dorsal flexion. Pre and postintervention comparisons of each group showed no significant differences in any of the SEBT directions in both ankle inversion/eversion and plantar/dorsal flexion in the NWBV and WBV groups.ConclusionsUsing WBV training on individuals with chronic ankle instability did not acutely improve ankle motion smoothness.