Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2025
Evaluating Postural Control and Lower-extremity Muscle Activation in Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability
Published on: September 18, 2020
Effect of Low-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training on Patients With Functional Ankle Instability: A Randomized
Ziliang Wen1,2,3, Jiang Zhu2,4, Xuelian Wu2,4
1Southwest University School of Physical Education, Beibei, CQ,China.
Context:
Decreased muscle strength and balance in patients with functional ankle instability (FAI) can be effectively improved by ankle strength training. Low-load blood flow restriction (LL-BFR) training increases muscle size and strength, but there is limited evidence from studies on muscle strength and balance in FAI patients.
Objective:
To study the effects of LL-BFR training versus high-load training (HLT) on muscle strength and balance in FAI patients.
Design:
Randomized controlled trial.
Participants:
Forty-six young adults with a history of FAI.
Interventions:
Participants in the LL-BFR and HLT groups performed 4 sets (30 × 15 × 15 × 15) of ankle training at 20% to 40% of the one-repetition maximum and 70% to 85% one-repetition maximum, respectively, twice a week for 6 weeks.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Plantar flexion, dorsiflexion, inversion, and eversion muscle strength, and the Y-balance test scores were assessed at baseline and after 3 and 6 weeks; the thickness of the tibialis anterior, triceps surae, and peroneus longus muscles were assessed at baseline and after 6 weeks.
Results:
Inversion, eversion, dorsiflexion, and plantar flexion muscle strength; tibialis anterior, triceps surae, and peroneus longus thickness; and Y-balance test scores were significantly increased in the LL-BFR group after 3 and 6 weeks compared with baseline (P < .05), with no significant difference between the LL-BFR and HLT groups after 6 weeks (P > .05). However, at the end of 3 weeks, eversion muscle strength and Y-balance test scores were significantly higher in the LL-BFR group than in the HLT group (P < .05).
Conclusions:
Over 6 weeks, LL-BFR training was as effective as HLT in improving ankle muscle strength, muscle thickness, and balance in FAI patients, but LL-BFR training improved the ankle eversion muscle strength and dynamic balance more than HLT did in the early stages of the intervention. This finding will provide a new intervention strategy for the clinical rehabilitation of FAI patients.
