Neurofascial Dextrose Prolotherapy for Managing Chronic Ankle Ligament Injury

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Regenerative Medicine
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Chronic ankle ligament injuries often lead to persistent pain and functional instability.
• Existing treatments may not fully address the underlying pathology of ligamentous damage.
• Dextrose prolotherapy is recognized for its anti-inflammatory properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of extra-articular, neurofascial dextrose prolotherapy.
• To assess its impact on pain and functional instability in chronic ankle ligament injuries.

Main Methods:

• An uncontrolled, before-after study design was employed.
• Twenty-five patients with chronic ankle ligament injury received two dextrose 12.5% neurofascial prolotherapy injections.
• Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores were recorded pre-intervention and at 1, 3, and 6 months post-intervention.

Main Results:

• A significant increase in mean CAIT scores from 1.88 to 21.84 was observed by the sixth month (P < 0.001).
• A significant decrease in mean VAS scores from 6.12 to 1.24 was recorded by the sixth month (P < 0.001).
• The intervention demonstrated a marked improvement in functional ankle stability and pain reduction.

Conclusions:

• Dextrose neurofascial prolotherapy is therapeutically effective for chronic ankle pain and instability.
• The treatment significantly decreases pain and improves functional instability in patients with ligamentous ankle injuries.
• This approach offers a viable option for managing chronic ankle ligament injuries.