Curative effect of normative ankle balance training in treatment of chronic ankle instability

Objective To investigate the efficacy of normative ankle balance training on chronic ankle instability (CAI). Methods Ninety patients were randomized into control group (17 males, 28 females; 13-26 years, mean 19.6 years) and experiment group (18 males, 27 females; 14-27 years, mean 20.3 years) according to the random number table. There were 19 left ankles and 26 right ankles injured in control group, and 19 left ankles and 26 right ankles injured in experiment group. Patients in control group only completed routine muscle strength training. Besides the routine muscle strength training, balance training (rubber band, spongy cushion, balance pedal, rubber balance ball and jump ball) were added in experiment group. The two groups were compared with respect to foot and ankle disability index (FADI), anterior, posterior-median and 45° to posterolateral direction reach distance of star excursion balance test (SEBT) and visual analogue score (VAS). Results After training, comparison of experiment and control groups showed significant differences in FADI (35.16±3.23 and 22.33±1.36), SEBT distance in posterior median direction [(78.59±7.22)% and (71.89±7.11)%], SEBT distance in 45° to posterolateral direction [(75.79±8.27)% and (68.95±8.03)%] and VAS [(3.01±0.91)scores and (3.42±1.02)scores] (P<0.05). For intragroup comparison, FADI, SEBT and VAS in experimental group showed significant differences before and after training (P<0.05), but only FADI in control group differed significantly before and after training (P<0.05). Conclusion Normative balance training can improve CAI patients’ self-feelings of dynamic balance and instability with satisfactory therapeutic efficacy, and is worthy to be popularized. Key words: Ankle; Joint instability; Treatment outcome