Neurocognitive Ankle Training for Instability to Optimize Neuromusculoskeletal Outcomes (NATION)
Womack Army Medical Center
Summary
The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a novel ankle rehabilitation protocol on improving clinical and health outcomes in physically active individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). Our central hypothesis is NATION, a novel rehabilitation intervention that includes neurocognitive tasks, will improve overall health and function, and reduce lower extremity musculoskeletal injury in physically active individuals with CAI.
Description
Military personnel and physically active civilians are particularly vulnerable to ankle sprains and subsequent chronic ankle instability (CAI). CAI is a complex neuromusculoskeletal condition characterized by recurring ankle sprains, episodes of instability, ongoing pain, and functional disability that results in activity limitations and participation or duty restrictions. Despite mitigation efforts, ankle sprains continue to occur frequently and commonly progress to CAI. CAI is associated with deficiencies in neurocognitive function (i.e., the ability to think, reason, and react) and increas…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–44 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Physically active and engage in regular exercise/training * 18-44 years old (accounts for 86% of the individuals deployed in recent military conflicts) * Answer "yes" to Question 1 (i.e., have you ever sprained an ankle?) on the Ankle Instability Instrument * Answer "yes" to any four of the remaining Ankle Instability Instrument questions * Score \<24 on the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool * Report at least two episodes of the ankle "giving way" in the last six months * Access to a functional email address and internet for completion of health and Service member outcom…
Interventions
- OtherNeurocognitive Ankle Training for Instablity to Optimize Neuromusculoskeletal outcomes (NATION)
The NATION rehabilitation protocol will serve as the true intervention group. NATION is a 6-week evidence-based chronic ankle instability (CAI) rehabilitation protocol that incorporates neurocognitive exercises. Participants will complete up to 18 unsupervised home sessions and up to 12 supervised sessions. Treatment volume and exercises may vary based on participant progress and study team member guidance.
- OtherEvidence-Based
The Evidence-Based rehabilitation protocol will serve as the active comparator group. The Evidence-Based protocol will be similar to the intervention (i.e., NATION protocol), but the exercises will exclude the neurocognitive tasks. Participants assigned to the Evidence-Based protocol will complete up to 18 unsupervised home sessions and up to 12 supervised sessions over the course of 6-weeks. Treatment volume and exercises may vary based on participant progress.
Locations (2)
- University of KentuckyLexington, Kentucky
- Womack Army Medical CenterFort Bragg, North Carolina