| Abstract ID |
| 20260042 |
| Category |
| Foot & Ankle |
| Preferable Presentation |
| Oral Presentation |
| Title |
| NEUROMODULATION-ASSISTED BALANCE TRAINING REDUCES INJURY RISK DURING SIDE-CUTTING IN INDIVIDUALS WITH CHRONIC ANKLE INSTABILITY |
| Author |
|
| Presenter |
| Qi Wang |
| Abstract |
| Background：Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability (CAI) exhibit increased injury potential, which may be associated with adaptations in the central nervous system (CNS). However, conventional CAI rehabilitation primarily concentrates on peripheral interventions, with limited emphasis on CNS-targeted therapies. Research has shown that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a CNS intervention with the potential to improve functional deficits among individuals with CAI. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effects of tDCS combined with Bosu ball training (BBT) on injury potential during side-cutting movements in individuals with CAI. Study design: Thirty-four participants with CAI were recruited and randomly divided into the tDCS+BBT (n=18, 20.11±1.28 years, 175.46±8.02 cm, and 72.37±9.61 kg) and BBT (n=16, 20.94±1.77 years, 173.34±11.98 cm, and 68.87±11.46 kg) groups. The tDCS+BBT group received concurrent tDCS and BBT, while the BBT group received sham tDCS along with BBT for 6 weeks with three 20-minute sessions per week. All participants were assessed for injury potential through 45-degree side-cutting trials conducted before (week 0) and after (week 7) the intervention. The maximum inversion and internal rotation angles of the ankle joint during side-cutting were recorded using a twelve-camera motion capture system and a force plate. Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures was employed to analyze the data. Results: Significant group-by-intervention interactions were detected in the ankle inversion (p=0.018, η2p=0.162) and internal rotation (p=0.023, η2p =0.15). Post hoc comparisons showed that compared with week0, the ankle inversion (tDCS+BBT group: p<0.001, d=0.710; BBT group: p=0.016, d=0.299) and the internal rotation (tDCS+BBT group: p<0.001, d=1.576; BBT group: p=0.001, d=0.712) were decreased in both groups at week7. The internal rotation of the tDCS+BBT group was lower than that of the BBT group at week7 (p=0.004, d=1.035). Conclusion: Compared with the BBT, the tDCS+BBT for 6 weeks was more effective in reducing injury potential during side-cutting in individuals with CAI. Our study provides new insights for clinically reducing the injury potential among individuals with CAI. |