The Effects of Balance Training on Chronic Ankle Instability are numerous, and the benefits are often difficult to measure. A few of these benefits are postural control, functional improvement, and visual reliance. The study's overall success rate was 82%. It was approved by the Indiana University Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects. But why is it important to find which programs improve balance and stability in the first place?

Postural control

This study evaluated the effects of balance training for chronic ankle instability on posture control and functional measures in individuals with and without chronic ankle instability. The FAAM, TTB, and COP-based tests were used to assess self-reported function. Postural control measures, including joint position sense, were also assessed in both groups. The four-week PHSB and SLB balance programs improved self-reported function and dynamic postural control.

A four-week balance training program was designed to improve dynamic postural control in participants with chronic ankle instability. Twenty-three young adults were enrolled in the study and assigned to an intervention and a control group. Participants were assessed for their postural control using dynamic postural stability index (DPSI) and perceived postural control using the FADI scale. Both groups improved significantly in postural control after intervention.

Functional improvement

Using a combination of strength training and balance training for chronic ankle instability may help improve deficits associated with chronic ankle instability. In a research study of 41 adults with chronic ankle instability, balance training was found to significantly improve both static and dynamic balance. The researchers also found that the training tended to be more effective for improving functionality than improving instability. However, further research is needed to understand whether these improvements are sustained.

In previous studies, balance training for chronic ankle instability patients has been shown to improve functional outcomes. Improvements in lower leg motion and gait kinematics were observed. Patients with chronic ankle instability also reported improved proprioception, and the use of an unstable balance training program decreased injury by 50%. The balance training exercise surface can consist of foam pads, balance boards, and inflatable discs. Despite these benefits, researchers note that there has been no significant change in ankle EMG activation between control groups.

Visual reliance

The visual, vestibular, and somatosensory systems are all important for postural control, but in patients with chronic ankle instability, these systems are less able to shift dynamically among sensory information sources. Patients with chronic ankle instability rely more heavily on senaptec visual information during single-limb stances than their uninjured counterparts. Although the benefits of balance training have been documented, little is known about how these patients alter their reliance on visual information.

Previous studies have suggested that the visual reliance of patients with ALAS is elevated and is associated with a significantly higher rate of fall risk. These findings suggest that reliance on visual information during SLB may be an important adaptation to maintain postural control. Further, visual adaptation is also associated with varying degrees of occlusion, which may impact postural control and impair the ability to maintain balance. This has implications for the rehabilitation of patients with acute or chronic ankle instability, as poor visual reliance can impair postural control and increase the risk of injury and reinjury.

Muscle strength

This study aimed to assess the effects of balance training for patients with chronic ankle instability on their muscle strength. The subjects were 20-year-old men with a history of ankle sprains or injuries and reported feelings of instability. They were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the experimental group, which underwent traditional rehabilitation, or the control group, which performed stretching and muscle strengthening exercises. The subjects' CAIT scores were measured before and after the intervention.

In the first group, CAI therapy increased motoneuron pool excitability and recruitment of motor units. The control group did not exhibit any significant changes in these measures. The second group experienced less variability in their static balance paths. The results of the study indicate that both groups benefit from balance training, although they do not necessarily require a specific treatment to achieve these results. The results of the study are a promising step toward further research on the benefits of CAI rehabilitation.