MOTOR TRAINING VERSUS MOTOR COGNITIVE TRAINING IN ATHLETES WITH CHRONIC ANKLE INSTABILITY

NCT07078916 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: P.T.REC/012/005726
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to evaluate the effect of one-leg balance activity (OLBA) combined with visual feedback using BlazePod™ as a dual motor-cognitive rehabilitation task in basketball players with Chronic Ankle Instability (CAI). The intervention will be compared to OLBA alone as a motor task. Outcomes measured include dynamic balance, sense of instability, response time, athletic performance, and self-reported physical function. This study will help improve rehabilitation strategies for athletes suffering from ankle instability.

Conditions

Chronic Ankle Instability, CAI

Keywords

Ankle Injuries [MeSH]; Ankle Sprain; Chronic Ankle Instability; Basketball Players; Balance Rehabilitation [MeSH]; Motor Skills [MeSH]; Cognitive Training [MeSH]; Visual Feedback; BlazePod; Dual-task Training; Dynamic Balance; Motor-Cognitive Training; Reaction Time

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Dynamic balance

  Dynamic balance will be assessed using the Y-Balance Test, a reliable and valid tool for measuring postural control in three directions: anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral. The participant will be asked to stand on the injured leg, then using another leg to reach the maximal point along the line in the three different directions, the directions named concerning the contact leg. The length of the line is normalized by the length of the patient's limb which is measured from ASIS to the medial malleolus. The goal of this test is to reach maximum excursion in every direction without shifting weight to or coming to rest on this foot of the reaching limb and then return the reaching limb to the beginning position in the center. Three trials in each direction to be familiarized. Actual trials will be 3 trials and best score will be calculated, The test will be conducted at baseline and after 4 weeks of intervention.

  At baseline and after 4 weeks of intervention

• Sense of instability

  Sense of ankle instability will be assessed using the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT), Consist of 32 points with a score less than 24 indicating CAI according to the International Ankle Consortium. The tool will be used in the Arabic version. The participants will be asked to choose the most suitable answer, with lower scores indicating greater perceived instability.

  The CAIT will be administered at baseline and after 4 weeks of intervention.

• Response time.

  Response time will be measured through the BlazePod™ application, BlazePod™ is a method of motor learning assessment and cognitive motor training. BlazePod™ sensors are reactive lights that turn off or deactivate with contact, They are controlled via smartphone applications using Bluetooth low energy technology and allow for full customization of 10 colored lights which record time variables from activation until deactivation. In this scenario, pods will activate automatically and randomly with a timer and deactivate with the impact of the foot touching the top. Lower response time means better motor learning and is calculated automatically through the BlazePod application.

  Assessment will be conducted at baseline and after 4 weeks of intervention

• Self-reported physical function

  Self-reported physical function will be assessed using the Sport subscale of the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), a validated tool for evaluating functional limitations related to sports activities in individuals with foot and ankle disorders. The Sport subscale consists of 8 items, he response to each item on the Sports subscale is scored from 4 to 0, with 4 being "no difficulty" and 0 being "unable to do", scores on each item are added together to get the item score total, the highest potential score of the questioner is 32, The item score total is divided by the highest potential score. This value is multiplied by 100 to get a percentage, A higher score represents a higher level of physical function. with higher scores indicating better function. FAAM sport subscale will be used in Arabic version.

  The questionnaire will be administered at baseline and after 4 weeks of intervention.

Study Arms (2)

Motor-Cognitive Training Group (OLBA + BlazePod™)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group will perform one-leg balance activities combined with visual feedback using BlazePod™

Behavioral: Motor-Cognitive Training Group (OLBA + BlazePod™)

Motor Training Group (OLBA Only)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants in this group will perform one-leg balance activities without any visual feedback.

Behavioral: Motor Training Group (OLBA Only)

Interventions

Motor-Cognitive Training Group (OLBA + BlazePod™) BEHAVIORAL

Arm 1 participant will receive the One-leg-balance activity using visual feedback BlazePod technology as a dual motor-cognitive task training.

Motor-Cognitive Training Group (OLBA + BlazePod™)

Motor Training Group (OLBA Only) BEHAVIORAL

Arm 2 participant will receive a the One-leg-balance activity as a single motor task.

Motor Training Group (OLBA Only)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 30 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Young adult basketball athletes aged between (18 - 30) years.
• A history of unilateral one or more significant ankle inversion injury occurred at least 1 year before participation in the study.
• Interruption of physical activity or cessation from training for at least 24 hours following injury.
• Report episodes of giving way and sense of instability of the affected ankle.
• Two episodes of giving way or/ recurrent inversion injury should be reported by the patient before study enrollment at least two times in the last 6 months.
• Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) patient scores \< 24.

You may not qualify if:

• A history of previous surgery or fracture to musculoskeletal structure (bone, joint, etc.) in the limb of the affected ankle.
• Acute lower limb sprain in the last 3 months before enrollment in the study resulting in interruption of physical activity for 1 day.
• Any disorder or disease that could affect the balance as vestibular disorders, eye injury, and so on.
• Any athlete who participates in any formal or informal rehabilitation.
• If they received NSAID 2 weeks before enrollment in the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cairo University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Aman physical therapy center

Alexandria, 21532, Egypt

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Ankle Injuries

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Leg Injuries; Wounds and Injuries

Study Officials

• nasr awad abdelkader, Ph.D. in Physical Therapy

  Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy for Musculoskeletal Disorders and its Surgeries, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

moaid mohamed elzarka, Bachelor of Physiotherapy

CONTACT

+201000177695; moaidelzarka@gmail.com

afaf mohamed tahoon, Ph.D. in Physical Therapy

CONTACT

+201015401783

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: lecturer of Physical Therapy for Musculoskeletal Disorders and its Surgeries, Faculty of Physical Therapy, kafrelsheikh University

Model Details: Double-blind parallel design randomized control study with allocation ratio 1:1

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 14, 2025
• First Posted: July 22, 2025
• Study Start: August 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: February 1, 2026
• Study Completion: April 1, 2026
• Last Updated: July 22, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

EG (1)