A New Paradigm for Rehabilitation of Patients with Chronic Ankle Instability

Lateral ankle sprains have been shown to be one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries in both athletes and the recreationally active population. Moreover, it is estimated that approximately 30% of people who incur a lateral ankle sprain will sustain recurrent ankle sprains and experience symptoms of pain and instability that last > 1 year. Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is the term used to describe cases involving repetitive ankle sprains, multiple episodes of the ankle "giving way," persistent symptoms, and diminished self-reported function for > 1 year after the initial ankle sprain. The optimal conservative treatment for CAI is yet to be determined; however, comparison between patients with CAI and individuals showing no history of ankle sprain has revealed several characteristic features of CAI. These include diminished range of motion, decreased strength, impaired neuromuscular control, and altered functional movement patterns. We propose a new treatment paradigm for conservative management of CAI with the aim of assessing and treating specific deficits exhibited by individual patients with CAI.