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Effects of Neurocognitive Training on Chronic Ankle Instability

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Chronic Ankle Instability
Balance
Neurocognitive
Registration Number
NCT07004114
Lead Sponsor
Balikesir University
Brief Summary

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effects of neurocognitive training on pain, proprioception, injury-related fear, functional, and neurocognitive performance in athletes with chronic ankle instability (CAI).

Materials and Methods: A total of 30 athletes with CAI, with a mean age of 11.10±1.06 years and residing in Balıkesir, were included in the study. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups using simple randomization: the intervention group (n=15) and the control group (n=15). Two participants from the control group were excluded from the final analyses due to missing post-intervention assessments. The intervention group received a neurocognitive training program conducted twice a week for four weeks, following an initial familiarization week. The training was progressively administered on flat ground, balance mat, BOSU, and inverted BOSU. Both groups were evaluated before and after the 4-week intervention using the following measures: the Identification of Functional Ankle Instability (IdFAI), the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT), pain intensity, proprioception, fear of re-injury, Y Balance Test (YBT), Side Hop Test, Reactive Balance Test (RBT), and Upper Extremity Choice Reaction Time Test.

Results: The results were analyzed.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
28
Inclusion Criteria

Aged between 10 and 18 years

At least 2 years of active athletic participation

History of ankle sprain with at least 2 inflammatory symptoms (e.g., pain, swelling)

The most recent sprain occurred at least 3 months prior to the study start date

A score of 11 or above on the FABIT (Simon et al., 2012)

A score of ≤27 on the CAIT (Yin et al., 2022)

Willingness to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria

History of hip/pelvis, knee, or ankle surgery within the past year

History of ankle fracture

Diagnosis of a neurological disorder

Presence of vestibular disorders

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Functional Ankle Instability Assessment Using the Identification of Functional Ankle Instability Questionnaire (IDFAI)from the beginning of the study until the end of the 4th week

The IDFAI is a self-reported questionnaire consisting of 9 items designed to identify the presence and severity of functional ankle instability. Scores range from 0 to 37, with higher scores indicating greater instability. A score above 11 suggests the presence of instability. Scores are unitless numeric values representing the severity of symptoms and frequency of ankle sprains.

Functional Ankle Instability Evaluation Using the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT)from the beginning of the study until the end of the 4th week

The CAIT is a self-assessment tool with 9 items measuring subjective ankle instability. Scores range from 0 (severe instability) to 30 (no instability). A score of 27 or below indicates functional ankle instability. The score is a unitless numeric value that reflects the level of perceived instability and risk of recurrent sprains.

Pain Severity Assessment-Visual Analog Scale (VAS)from the beginning of the study until the end of the 4th week

The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) is a 10 cm line ranging from "No pain" to "Worst imaginable pain." Participants mark their pain intensity on the line, which is measured in centimeters to quantify pain severity. This unitless numeric score reflects pain intensity at rest, during training, and post-training in ankles with instability history.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Balikesir University

🇹🇷

Balikesir, Bigadiç, Turkey

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