Effects of Combined Exercise and Kinesio Taping on Balance and Jump Performance in Athletes With Chronic Ankle Instability (NR-CAI)

Combined Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Enhances Static Balance in Athletes With Chronic Ankle Instability: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether a combined neuromuscular rehabilitation program improves static balance in athletes with chronic ankle instability. It will also examine whether the addition of kinesio taping provides extra benefit compared with exercise alone. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does a six-week balance and strength exercise program improve static postural control in athletes with chronic ankle instability?

Does adding kinesio taping to the exercise program lead to greater improvements in balance compared with exercise alone?

Researchers will compare three groups: an exercise group, an exercise plus kinesio taping group, and a control group, to determine which approach is most effective for improving balance.

Participants will:

Take part in a supervised rehabilitation program three times per week for six weeks (intervention groups)

Perform balance training on a wobble board and strength exercises using elastic resistance bands

Receive kinesio taping before each session if assigned to the taping group

Undergo balance assessments before and after the intervention using force-plate measurements

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Chronic Ankle Instability
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Exercise Program with Kinesio Taping; Other: Balance and Strength Exercise Program

Detailed Description

Chronic ankle instability is a frequent condition among athletes and is associated with recurrent ankle sprains, impaired proprioception, muscle weakness, and deficits in postural control. These impairments negatively influence athletic performance and increase the risk of further injury. Neuromuscular rehabilitation programs that combine balance and strength training are commonly recommended to address these problems; however, evidence regarding the additional value of adjunctive interventions such as kinesio taping remains limited.

This randomized controlled trial was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of a structured neuromuscular rehabilitation program on static balance in athletes with chronic ankle instability and to determine whether the addition of kinesio taping enhances treatment outcomes. Participants meeting the diagnostic criteria for chronic ankle instability were recruited and randomly allocated into one of three study groups.

The intervention consisted of a supervised rehabilitation program focused on balance and strength exercises targeting the ankle joint. Training sessions were performed regularly over a six-week period. In one group, kinesio taping was applied before each training session in addition to the exercise program, while another group performed the same exercises without taping. A control group did not receive any specific rehabilitation intervention.

Balance performance was evaluated before and after the intervention period using objective laboratory-based assessments. The study design allowed for comparison of changes over time within each group and between groups in order to identify the most effective approach for improving postural stability in athletes with chronic ankle instability.

The findings of this trial are intended to provide practical clinical evidence for physiotherapists and sports rehabilitation professionals regarding optimal conservative management strategies for chronic ankle instability.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 78
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Albania
  • Tirana, Albania, 1001
    • Sport University of Tirana

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria: History of at least one ankle sprain occurring at least 12 months prior to enrollment.

Presence of clinical signs of pain and inflammation. Most recent ankle sprain occurring at least 3 months before study inclusion. History of more than two episodes of "giving way". Self-reported ankle instability assessed using the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) with a score of ≤25 points.

Exclusion Criteria:

History of musculoskeletal surgery. Presence of orthopedic conditions such as lower-limb fractures. Any musculoskeletal injury within the 3 months preceding the study. Known neurological disorders that could influence balance performance. Known vestibular disorders that could influence balance performance.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Combined Rehabilitation Group; Participants in this group received a combined rehabilitation program consisting of balance and strength exercises together with kinesio taping applied to the ankle. The intervention was performed according to a standardized protocol for improving balance and ankle stability	Other: Exercise Program with Kinesio Taping; The same six-week balance and strength rehabilitation program as in the Exercise Group, combined with Kinesio Taping applied to the ankle before each training session. Taping was applied by a certified physiotherapist using a standardized technique to enhance proprioceptive input and neuromuscular activation.
Experimental: Exercise Only Group; Participants in this group received only the exercise program (balance and strength) without kinesio taping. The exercises were identical to those used in the combined group and followed the same duration and frequency.	Other: Balance and Strength Exercise Program; A structured rehabilitation program consisting of balance training on a wobble board and ankle strengthening exercises using Thera-Band. Sessions were performed three times per week for six weeks under physiotherapist supervision. Exercises included single-leg balance tasks with progressive difficulty and strengthening exercises targeting dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, inversion, and eversion.
No Intervention: Control Group; Participants in this group did not receive any structured rehabilitation intervention during the study period. They continued their usual daily activities without additional therapeutic exercises or kinesio taping.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Static Balance Measured by Center of Pressure Ellipse Area	Static balance will be assessed using a force plate by analyzing center of pressure (COP) parameters, specifically the ellipse area. Measurements will be performed in a single-leg stance position under two conditions: eyes open and eyes closed. Smaller COP ellipse area values indicate better postural control.	From baseline assessment to post-intervention assessment after 6 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Vertical Jump Height	Vertical jump height will be assessed using a force plate to quantify lower limb explosive power, measured at baseline and post-intervention.	Baseline and post-intervention
Drop Jump	Drop jump performance will be assessed using a force plate to evaluate reactive strength and neuromuscular control, measured at baseline and post-intervention.	Baseline and post-intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Sport University of Tirana

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 20, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 2, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): June 12, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 11, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 16, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): February 23, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 13, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 8, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Strength Training; Vertical Jump; Balance Training; Kinesio Taping; Static Balance; Drop Jump; Chronik Ankle Instability
• Other Study ID Numbers: CAI-RTC-2024-ALB

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Individual participant data will not be shared due to confidentiality considerations and institutional data protection policies. Only aggregated, anonymized results will be reported in publications.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No