Effects of Cervical and Oculomotor Exercises on Functional Status, Balance, and Proprioception in Chronic Ankle Instability

May 6, 2026 updated by: Simge Nur UNGAN, Izmir Katip Celebi University

Effects of Cervical and Oculomotor Exercises Added to Conventional Treatment on Ankle Functional Status, Balance, and Proprioception in Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Effects of Cervical and Oculomotor Exercises on Functional Status, Balance, and Proprioception in Chronic Ankle Instability

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Effects of Cervical and Oculomotor Exercises Added to Conventional Treatment on Ankle Functional Status, Balance, and Proprioception in Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

38

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Çiğli
      • Izmir, Çiğli, Turkey (Türkiye), 35650
        • Izmir Katip Celebi University Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department
        • Contact:

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosed with unilateral chronic ankle instability (CAI) in accordance with the International Ankle Consortium recommendations
  • A history of at least one significant lateral ankle sprain that occurred at least 12 months prior to participation, resulting in inflammatory symptoms such as pain and swelling and causing at least one day of interruption in physical activity
  • A history of "giving way" and/or recurrent ankle sprains and/or a feeling of instability in the affected ankle within the past 6 months
  • A Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) score of ≤ 25

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of surgery or fracture in the lower extremities or spine
  • Acute musculoskeletal injury affecting other joints of the lower extremity within the past 3 months (e.g., sprains, fractures) that impaired joint integrity and function and caused at least one day of interruption in physical activity
  • History of injection in the affected ankle
  • History of ankle sprain in the affected extremity within the past 4 weeks
  • Presence of systemic musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders, vestibular disorders, or any other condition that may affect balance or sensory function
  • Previous participation in any rehabilitation program for the ankle or cervical region
  • History of head or neck trauma or diagnosed pathology within the past 12 months
  • History of neck pain greater than 3/10 in severity within the past 12 months

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

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Conventional Treatment + Cervical and Oculomotor Exercises
Participants in the experimental group will receive a conventional rehabilitation program including mobility, strengthening, balance, and proprioceptive exercises targeting the ankle joint. In addition, they will perform cervical stabilization and oculomotor exercises. The intervention will be conducted for 4 weeks, with 3 sessions per week. Participants will follow a home exercise program that includes ankle mobility, strengthening, balance, and oculomotor exercises on days when they do not attend the clinic.
Other: Exercise
Participants in the experimental group will receive a conventional rehabilitation program including mobility, strengthening, balance, and proprioceptive exercises targeting the ankle joint. In addition, they will perform cervical stabilization and oculomotor exercises.
Other: Exercise
Participants in the control group will receive a conventional rehabilitation program including mobility, strengthening, balance, and proprioceptive exercises targeting the ankle joint.
Active Comparator: Conventional Treatment
Participants in the control group will receive a conventional rehabilitation program consisting of mobility, strengthening, balance, and proprioceptive exercises targeting the ankle joint. The intervention will be conducted for 4 weeks, with 3 sessions per week. Participants will follow a home exercise program that includes ankle mobility, strengthening and balance exercises on days when they do not attend the clinic.
Other: Exercise
Participants in the experimental group will receive a conventional rehabilitation program including mobility, strengthening, balance, and proprioceptive exercises targeting the ankle joint. In addition, they will perform cervical stabilization and oculomotor exercises.
Other: Exercise
Participants in the control group will receive a conventional rehabilitation program including mobility, strengthening, balance, and proprioceptive exercises targeting the ankle joint.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Y-Balance Test
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)
Dynamic balance performance assessed using balance tests (Y-Balance Test)
Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)
Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM)
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)
Functional status assessed using the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) The daily living activities subscale contains 21 items; the minimum score is 0 and the maximum score is 84. The sports subscale consists of 8 items; the minimum score is 0 and the maximum score is 32. A higher score represents a higher level of physical function.
Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Ankle Joint Position Error Test
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)
Ankle proprioception assessed using laser beam device joint position error (JPE) tests
Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)
Weight Bearing Lunge Test
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)
Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion will be assessed with the weight bearing lunge test
Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)
Computerized balance assessment
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)
Postural stability will be assessed using the Prokin Tecnobody balance assessment system.
Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)
Side Hop Test
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)
Side hop test will be used to assess the dynamic postural control capacity around the ankle.
Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)
Ankle Pain
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)
Ankle pain will be assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS). The VAS is a scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (most severe pain), with higher scores indicating greater pain.
Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)
Cervical Joint Position Error Test
Time Frame: Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)
Cervical proprioception will be assessed using the Cervical Joint Position Error Test.
Baseline and post-intervention (after 4 weeks)

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Izmir Katip Celebi University

Collaborators

Izmir Bakircay University

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Damla KARABAY, Assistant Professor, Izmir Katip Çelebi University
  • Principal Investigator: Simge N UNGAN, Physiotherapist (Bachelor), Izmir Katip Çelebi University
  • Study Director: Sercan Çapkın, Associate Professor, Izmir Bakırçay University

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 (Estimated)

May 7, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 7, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 7, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 29, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 6, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 12, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 12, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 6, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2586

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

A final decision regarding the sharing of individual participant data has not yet been made due to considerations related to data protection regulations. If a decision to share is made in the future, only de-identified data relevant to the published results may be shared upon reasonable request and in accordance with applicable regulations.

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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