Home-based exercise for chronic ankle instability: A systematic review and meta-analysis of effectiveness and program...

This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of home-based exercise on patient-oriented function and balance control among individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). Literature searches were conducted in seven Databases from inception to June 9, 2025. The Risk of Bias 2.0 tool was used to assess the risk of bias, while meta-analyses and sensitivity analyses were performed using RevMan 5.3.0 and Stata 14.0 software. The GRADE approach was applied to evaluate the quality of evidence. Main outcomes included the patient-oriented function and balance control. Nine studies involving 333 participants were included. The results indicated that home-based exercise significantly improves patient-oriented function (SMD = 0.73, p < 0.001) and balance control (SMD = 0.52, p < 0.001) among individuals with CAI. No significant differences were found between home-based and supervised groups in improving patient-oriented function (SMD = -0.08, p = 0.57) or balance control (SMD = -0.11, p = 0.35). These findings provide preliminary evidence that home-based exercise may improve patient-oriented function and balance control among individuals with CAI, with effects appearing comparable to supervised exercise. However, findings are based on limited studies with low-certainty evidence and substantial heterogeneity. Well-designed randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm these findings and establish optimal implementation.