Simplified Tai Chi Exercises to Improve Function in People With Chronic Ankle Instability

NCT06682897 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 17526
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 36
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this interventional trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of the simplified four-week Tai Chi training in improving function in people with chronic ankle instability. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. 1.Does the 4-week Tai Chi training improve ankle neuromuscular responses?
2. 2.Does the 4-week Tai Chi training enhance ankle proprioception?
3. 3.Does the 4-week Tai Chi training improve ankle muscle strength？
4. 4.Does the 4-week Tai Chi training boost balance performance？
5. 5.Does the 4-week Tai Chi training enhance subjective ankle stability and quality of life?
6. 6.Take self-management and Tai Chi training, and each for 4 weeks
7. 7.Visit the labs every 4 weeks for biomechanical measurements and questionnaires, totally 3 times.

Conditions

Chronic Ankle Instability

Keywords

ankle; Tai Chi

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Ankle neuromuscular reponses

  This includes two tasks, one is drop-landing, the other is ankle inversion perturbation. Each side will perform each task three times. Six electromyography muscle sensors will be placed on peroneus longus, peroneus brevis and tibialis anterior muscles to record muscle activity.

  From the date of randomization until the completion of three assessments. This evaluation will be conducted at 0, 4, and 8 weeks after enrollment, with a maximum duration of 8 weeks.

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Ankle proprioception

  From the date of randomization until the completion of three assessments. This evaluation will be conducted at 0, 4, and 8 weeks after enrollment, with a maximum duration of 8 weeks.

• Ankle muscle strength

  From the date of randomization until the completion of three assessments. This evaluation will be conducted at 0, 4, and 8 weeks after enrollment, with a maximum duration of 8 weeks.

• Balance performance

  From the date of randomization until the completion of three assessments. This evaluation will be conducted at 0, 4, and 8 weeks after enrollment, with a maximum duration of 8 weeks.

• Questionnaire

  From the date of randomization until the completion of three assessments. This evaluation will be conducted at 0, 4, and 8 weeks after enrollment, with a maximum duration of 8 weeks.

Study Arms (2)

Exercise

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will be asked to choose three time slots per week to come to the lab, and each time slot will consist of a 1-hour workout that includes a 10-minute warm-up, a 45-minute Tai Chi practice, and a 5-minute cool-down.

Behavioral: Tai Chi training

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants replicated all the procedures of the exercise trial except for the different starting phase of the training.

Interventions

Tai Chi training BEHAVIORAL

60 minutes each session, three sessions per week, lasting 4 weeks for undertaking.

Exercise

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 40 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Aged from 18 to 40
• A history of at least one significant lateral ankle sprain was associated with inflammatory symptoms (pain, swelling, etc) and disrupted activity
• The initial sprain must have occurred at least 12 months prior to study enrolment
• The most recent injury must have occurred more than 3 months prior to study enrolment
• Reports of feeling instable or "giving way" during daily activities or physical activities and experienced at least 2 episodes in the 6 months prior to study enrolment
• Scoring ≤25 on the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool

You may not qualify if:

• Any previous fractures or surgeries on the lower limbs
• Have other muscle, joint or nerve disorders that affect the function of the lower limbs
• Chest pain at rest, dizziness during rest, heart condition, or doctor's advice not to exercise without medical supervision
• Currently enrolled in other ankle rehabilitation programmes
• Already a Tai Chi practitioner
• Pregnant
• Allergic to adhesive tapes

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Loughborough University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Loughborough University

Loughborough, Leicester, LE113TU, United Kingdom

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 28, 2024
• First Posted: November 12, 2024
• Study Start: August 5, 2024
• Primary Completion: December 2, 2024
• Study Completion: December 2, 2024
• Last Updated: February 4, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

GB (1)