NMES With PNF for Ankle Sprain Rehabilitation
ConditionAnkle Sprain
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-30
SponsorFooyin University
About this trial
Ankle sprains are one of the most common sports injuries. In some people, they can lead to chronic ankle problems that affect daily life and sports performance. In this study, we want to see if combining neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) can help improve these problems. We plan to recruit 60 participants, with 30 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group. The experimental group will receive PNF stretching with NMES, while the control group will only do PNF stretching. Both groups will have training three times a week for four weeks (12 sessions in total). We will test participants before and after the program, looking at pain, balance, range of motion, proprioception, strength, joint mobility, and functional limitations. We expect that 12 sessions will help improve chronic ankle problems, and that NMES combined with PNF will be more effective than PNF alone.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
Aged 18-30 years
Adults with a history of ankle sprain
Disqualifiers
Participants with ankle fractures, dislocations, grade III ankle sprains, bony restrictions, swelling, neuropathy, or any other neuromuscular disorders are excluded.
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)
BehavioralThe NMES was applied during the plantarflexor contraction phase of the PNF stretching (described as below). Two electrodes (4 × 8 cm) were used for stimulation, placed on the triceps surae of the affected side: one positioned 5 cm below the popliteal fossa, and the other placed 5 cm below the first electrode, directly over the triceps surae. The hold-relax technique of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) will be applied to stretch the triceps surae muscle. It will be performed ten times on the affected limb during each treatment session, lasting approximately 10 minutes in total. Participants will receive interventions three times per week for four weeks, for a total of twelve sessions.
Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) only
BehavioralThe hold-relax technique will be applied to stretch the triceps surae muscle. It will be performed ten times on the affected limb during each treatment session, lasting approximately 10 minutes in total. Participants will receive interventions three times per week for four weeks, for a total of twelve sessions.
Treatment groups
60 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: NMES with PNFExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: PNF onlyActive comparator 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Star Excursion Balance Test, SEBT
Balance ability will be assessed using the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT). Participants stand barefoot at the center of a grid with eight lines extending at 45° angles. They are instructed to reach with the distal part of the foot to touch the farthest point along each line while maintaining a standing position. The examiner recorded the reached distance in centimeters, measured from the center of the grid to the point touched by the participant's big toe.
Time frame
1. Baseline (Day 1, prior to intervention) 2. Post-intervention (after 12 sessions, Week 4)2
Proprioception - ankle dorsiflexion (degrees)
Proprioception of the affected ankle will be measured using the Micro FET3 inclinometer. The examiner moves the foot to a target angle (hold for 10 seconds), and then returned to the starting position. Participants then actively reproduces the angle. The difference between the target and reproduced angles represented proprioceptive accuracy.
Time frame
1. Baseline (Day 1, prior to intervention) 2. Post-intervention (after 12 sessions, Week 4)3
Proprioception - ankle plantarflexion (degrees)
Proprioception of the affected ankle will be measured using the Micro FET3 inclinometer. The examiner moves the foot to a target angle (hold for 10 seconds), and then returned to the starting position. Participants then actively reproduces the angle. The difference between the target and reproduced angles represented proprioceptive accuracy.
Time frame
1. Baseline (Day 1, prior to intervention) 2. Post-intervention (after 12 sessions, Week 4)4
Muscle strength - ankle dorsiflexors (kg)
A dynamometer (Micro FET3) will be placed on the dorsal surfaces of the metatarsals to measure strength of dorsiflexors.
Time frame
1. Baseline (Day 1, prior to intervention) 2. Post-intervention (after 12 sessions, Week 4)Secondary outcomes
1
The Foot and Ankle Disability Index (FADI)
Functional limitations will be assessed using the Foot and Ankle Disability Index (FADI). The FADI includes 22 questions related to functional activities and 4 questions related to pain. Each item is scored from 0 (unable to do) to 4 (no difficulty), with a maximum total score of 104, which is then converted to a percentage. A score of 100% indicates no functional limitation.
Time frame
1. Baseline (Day 1, prior to intervention) 2. Post-intervention (after 12 sessions, Week 4)2
Knee to wall test
Participants stand facing a wall with their toes about 10 cm away. The non-affected foot steps back, and the affected knee bends forward to touch the wall while keeping the heel on the ground. If the knee cannot reach the wall, the front foot moves closer. The distance from the affected big toe to the wall is then measured. The distance (cm) from the participant's big toe of the affected foot to the wall was measured and recorded.
Time frame
1. Baseline (Day 1, prior to intervention) 2. Post-intervention (after 12 sessions, Week 4)3
Visual analog scale (VAS)
Participants mark their pain level on a 10-cm line, with the left end representing 'no pain' and the right end representing 'unbearable pain.' The mark indicates the intensity of their pain.
Time frame
1. Baseline (Day 1, prior to intervention) 2. Post-intervention (after 12 sessions, Week 4)Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov