A Randomized Controlled Trial Investigating The Effects Of A 4-Week Ankle Rehabilitation Program On High School Athletes With Chronic Ankle Instability

The Biomechanical Ankle Platform System board is an oval shaped board that utilizes a half-sphere on the bottom of the board to allow the patient to train on an unstable surface. A one legged stance on their involved limb was performed on the Biomechanical Ankle Platform System board while clockwise and counterclockwise circles were completed. The initial rotation of direction was selected by the patient and changed every 10 seconds of the 40-second trial. Five 40-second trials were completed with 1-minute rest intervals in between the trials. Progression was determined by the supervising clinician and was based on the patient's ability to make smooth transitions between direction changes and completion of smooth circular rotations in both directions.

Each patient in the control group did not perform any rehabilitation exercises. Over the intervention time frame, the patient was required to check in with a member of the research team each week to discuss any changes in their ankle or report any injury incidence.

Each session, patients completed resistance training using a resistance band in 4 directions of ankle motion (plantarflexion, dorsiflexion, inversion and eversion). Patients would complete 3 sets of 10 repetitions during each session. Every 3 sessions, the band resistance would increase.

Patients completing the combination protocol completed both the resistance band and Biomechanical Ankle Platform System board protocols during each session. The order of exercise completion was counterbalanced for each session.