The effectiveness of home-based dynamic balance exercise training through telerehabilitationin improving the ankle’s stability and functional ability of sedentary individuals with chronic ankle sprain – a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Many literature have supported that dynamic balance exercise is effective among active individuals with chronic ankle instability. However, there is a paucity of evidence whether it is effective among sedentary individuals with chronic ankle instability. This study is a randomized controlled clinical trial and the participants were 15 sedentary individuals with CAI who were randomly assigned to either experimental or control group. The intervention consisted of a four (4) week home-based balance training program through telerehabilitation, thrice a week, 60 minutes each day. Both groups performed specific dynamic balance exercises consisted of: (1) single-limb hops to stabilization; (2) hop to stabilization reach; (3) unanticipated hop to stabilization; and (4) single-limb activities with eyes closed and open. However, a modification which is a handheld support, was used by the control group to remove the therapeutic effect of the exercise. Essentially, the primary outcomes obtained were the ankle stability and functional ability of the participants. In the within-group scores, results show that both groups have significant differences between pre-test and post-test in terms of ankle stability and functional ability with a p-value of \u3c0.05. Moreover, results in between-group differences show that there was significant difference between the two groups as to functional ability, but not in terms of ankle stability which resulted in a p-value of \u3e0.05. The occurrence of having no significant difference as to ankle stability may be due to inaccuracy of measurements since this was done merely by the participants using the outcome measure SEBT as compared to the functional ability wherein FAAM is a patient-assessed tool. Also, a short duration of four (4) weeks might not be enough as to improving ankle stability. In conclusion, dynamic balance exercises were effective in improving the functional ability of sedentary individuals with CAI but not their ankle stability