Effect of Coordination Training on Proprioception of the Functionally Unstable Ankle

Exercises to improve joint proprioception and coordination of the functionally unstable ankle are advocated throughout the literature, yet there is little evidence that these exercise have any effect on proprioception and balance. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 6-week coordination and balance training program on proprioception of subjects with functional ankle instability. Forty-five subjects (age = 22.53 +/- 3.95 years, height = 172.04 +/- 10.0 cm, weight = 71.72 +/- 15.7 kg) were randomly placed into a control (Group 1), sham (Group 2), or experimental (Group 3) group. The experimental group trained 3 days per week, 10 minutes each day, performing various balance and proprioception exercises. Postural sway and active and passive joint position sense were assessed. Analysis of variance for postural sway modified equilibrium score for anterior and posterior sway, as well as medial and lateral sway revealed significant four-way interactions. Tukey post hoc analyses revealed that Group 3 performed significantly better (p < .05) than Group 1 and Group 2 on the posttests. There were no significant differences for joint position sense or postural sway index. Results suggest that balance and coordination training can improve some measures of postural sway. It is still unclear if joint position sense can be improved in the functionally unstable ankle.