The Efficacy of Hypertonic Dextrose Injection to Anterior Talofibular Ligament Sprain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Sprains constitute most of ankle injury and 85% ankle sprain is inversion injury. The conventional treatment includes medication, physical therapy, bracing and steroid injection. Anterior talofibular ligament is the most injured ligament in ankle sprain. Although the response of acute ligament sprain is usually quickly, treatment of chronic ligament sprain is difficult. Chronic pain and ankle instability is the most common symptom in chronic ankle sprain. Dextrose prolotherapies been used for treating soft tissue injury such as osteoarthritis, tendinopathy and ligament sprain. However, there is not randomized control trial for hypertonic dextrose injection to chronic ankle sprain.

Methods: Investigators will include 40 ankle sprain patients who have ankle pain or instability sensation more than 3 months. Ultrasonography will be done for confirm ligament injury. Participants will be randomized into two groups. Dextrose injection group will accept dextrose 15% injection to tendon and enthesis. Otherwise, investigators will do subcutaneous sham injection to control group. Investigators will measure pain threshold and peak pressure by algometer, the degree of ankle instability by ultrasound, the proprioception by single leg standing, and foot and ankle questionnaire. The examination will be done before injection, immediately after injection, 1 week, 4 weeks and 12 weeks after injection.To our hypothesis, investigators suggest dextrose prolotherapy injection could decrease pain and improved proprioception.