Electrotherapy as a Rehabilitation Modality for Chronic Ankle Instability: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Rehabilitation Science
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is a prevalent condition affecting athletic and general populations.
• Current rehabilitation strategies for CAI primarily involve therapeutic exercise (TEx).
• The potential adjunctive benefits of electrotherapy modalities in CAI management require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the efficacy of combining electrotherapies with TEx compared to TEx alone for treating CAI.
• To synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on this combined intervention approach.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science up to September 2024.
• Included studies were RCTs involving human participants with CAI, comparing electrotherapy plus TEx against TEx alone.
• Data extraction focused on identifying electrotherapy types used in conjunction with TEx for CAI rehabilitation.

Main Results:

• Seven RCTs, out of 3118 initially identified articles, met the inclusion criteria.
• The included studies investigated various electrotherapy modalities: stochastic resonance stimulation, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation, and neuromuscular electrical stimulation.
• Analysis indicated that the combination of electrotherapy and TEx yielded superior functional outcome measures compared to TEx alone in CAI patients.

Conclusions:

• Combining electrotherapy with therapeutic exercise demonstrates a favorable impact on functional outcomes for individuals with chronic ankle instability.
• This integrated approach may represent a more effective rehabilitation strategy for CAI than therapeutic exercise alone.
• Further research could explore optimal electrotherapy protocols and their long-term effects in CAI management.