Chronic ankle instability: diagnosis and treatment

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is a prevalent condition with ongoing diagnostic and therapeutic debates.
• Understanding current best practices is crucial for effective patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and define the contemporary diagnostic methods and treatment strategies for individuals experiencing chronic ankle instability.
• To synthesize current evidence on managing CAI.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed (MEDLINE) for articles published between January 1, 2010, and July 15, 2011.
• Keywords used included 'ankle,' 'chronic,' and 'instability,' yielding 57 English-language articles.

Main Results:

• Clinical testing for CAI demonstrates low reliability; no single force-plate measure reliably predicts CAI.
• Ankle arthrometers may enhance diagnostic accuracy, while MRI sensitivity can be insufficient, potentially necessitating arthroscopy.
• Conservative treatments like rehabilitation, taping, and bracing are effective in managing CAI and reducing recurrent sprains.
• Strengthening exercises and proprioception are vital for functional recovery and preventing surgery in cases of functional instability.

Conclusions:

• Conservative treatment should be the primary therapeutic approach for chronic ankle instability.
• Surgical intervention is reserved for cases where conservative management proves ineffective.