Predicting Ankle Injury Through Clinical Functional Measures in Adolescent Athletes

July 22, 2025 updated by: Phillip Gribble, University of Toledo Health Science Campus

Using Dynamic Postural Control and Functional Testing to Predict Ankle Injury in Adolescent Athletes

The objective of this study is to determine if a clinical measure can be used effectively to predict ankle injury in high school and collegiate athletes across a variety of sports.

Hypothesis: For each ankle injury category (lateral ankle sprain, medial ankle sprain, syndesmosis ankle sprain, Achilles rupture, fracture) participants that suffer these injuries will have a significantly lower SEBT normalized composite score and FMS composite score compared to those participants that do not suffer the injury

Hypothesis #1b: Similar to a previous study examining high school basketball players22, using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves, we will be able to calculate likelihood ratios, odds ratios, sensitivity and specificity and determine the ideal cut-off point of the SEBT normalized composite score and FMS composite score that will be able to predict the risk of each ankle injury category (lateral ankle sprain, medial ankle sprain, syndesmosis ankle sprain, Achilles rupture, fracture).

Athletes from identified sites will perform measures of the star excursion balance test (SEBT) and the Functional Movement Screen FMS before the first day of practice. During the competition season, the number of practice and competition person exposures, as well as the number of ankle injuries, will be recorded. The rate of ankle injuries/exposure will be calculated and compared with the pre-season SEBT scores to create a simple and a complex prediction model for risk of ankle injury

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Detailed Description

The objective of this study is to determine if a clinical measure of dynamic postural control, the star excursion balance test (SEBT), and a simple functional testing battery, the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), can be used effectively to predict ankle injury in high school and collegiate athletes across a variety of sports.

Males and females between the ages of 14 and 24 enrolled at one of three designated high schools in Toledo, OH or at the University of Toledo will be recruited for this study. Eligible participants will be signed up and medically cleared to participate in football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, and/or cross country during the 2012/2013 academic year. Participants will be healthy and must be cleared by a physician for full participation at the time of enrollment in the study. All the enrolled student athletes will be made aware of the study and the requested prior to their pre-season physicals by the coaching staff and ATC prior to the beginning of the first day of practice. Consent and assent will be obtained using appropriate university approved forms. In this prospective study design, pre-season dynamic postural control data and previous injury history will be collected from the high school and collegiate athletes. These athletic facilities are all serviced by certified Athletic Trainers (ATC) and physicians associated with the University of Toledo and the University of Toledo Medical Center. Prior to the beginning of the 2012/2013 competition seasons, athletes from the identified sites will, as part of their pre-season physical exam requirements, perform measures of the SEBT and the FMS before the first day of practice. The performance of the SEBT and the FMS are explained in detail in the attached protocol. During the competition season, the number of practice and competition person exposures, as well as the number of ankle injuries, will be recorded by the ATC at each school. Injury incidence is explained in detail in the attached protocol. At the end of the competition seasons, the rate of ankle injuries/exposure will be calculated and compared with the pre-season SEBT scores to create a simple and a complex prediction model for risk of ankle injury.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
377

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Ohio
      • Toledo, Ohio, United States, 43614
        • University of Toledo

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years to 24 years (Child, Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Males and female athletes between the ages of 14 and 24 enrolled at one of three designated high schools in Toledo, OH or at the University of Toledo will be recruited for this study.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adolescent Athletes between 14 and 24
  • Enrolled in designate area high schools

Exclusion Criteria:

-

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Ankle Injured
Volunteers with an ankle injury
Healthy
Healthy Volunteers

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Dynamic Balance: (Star Excursion Balance Test)
Time Frame: baseline
The clinical measure of dynamic postural control is represented as a reaching distance normalized to leg length. This is calculated by taking the average liner reaching distance (cm) of the test trials and dividing by the participant's leg length (anterior superior iliac spine to the inferior pole of the medial malleolus of the tibia), also in cm. The resulting ratio is multiplied by 100 and the measure reported as "% of leg length". This value was established in the literature as the standard outcome for reporting Star Excursion Balance Test data.
baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Functional Movement (Functional Movement Screen)
Time Frame: baseline
Simple functional testing battery
baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Toledo Health Science Campus

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Phillip Gribble, University of Toledo

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2012

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2013

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 31, 2012

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 6, 2012

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 7, 2012

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 23, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 22, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • UTHSC-15

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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