Extracorporeal Shock Wave Versus Photobiomodulation Therapy for Chronic Ankle Instability

Summary

PURPOSE:

To Compare between the effect of extra corporeal shock wave and Photobiomodulation on pain level, ROM, muscle strength, function level, dynamic balance and thickness of ligament in patients with chronic ankle instability.

BACKGROUND:

Lateral ankle sprains are the most common lower limb musculoskeletal injury incurred by individuals who participate in sports and recreational physical activities Approximately 40% of individuals who sustain a LAS develop a condition known as chronic ankle instability (CAI) (Miklovic et al., 2018), The lateral ligamentous complex is the main structure affected in 80-85% of these injuries, which are originated from a sudden inversion or supination trauma (Mansur et al., 2021).

The ligament system plays a fundamental role in the ankle's stability and includes a talocrural complex and a subtalar complex that are functionally related. For the talocrural joint, three lateral collateral ligaments are present and one medial collateral ligament (Bonnel et al., 2010).

Physical examination is mostly the first diagnostic step in the assessment of ankle injuries. Imaging modalities such as ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) play a major role in providing a detailed depiction of ankle tendons and ligaments (Hosseinian et al., 2022).

The effect of ESWT is Higher multiplication of collagen fibers; faster organization of muscle fibers and vascularization by treatment with radial shockwaves (Schnurrer-Luke-Vrbanic et al., 2018), ESWT could improve pain, ankle instability, ankle function, dorsiflexion ROM, and dynamic balance in patients with CAI (Le et al., 2022).

Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBMT) is effective for patients with an ankle sprain. PBMT showed high effect size with a moderate level of evidence on pain intensity and is related to the PBMT intensity and frequency (Alayat et al., 2024).

HYPOTHESES:

There is no statistically significant effect of extra corporeal shock wave versus photobiomodulation on level of pain, ROM, muscle strength, function level, dynamic balance and thickness of ligament in patients with chronic ankle instability.

RESEARCH QUESTION:

Is there any effect of extra corporeal shock wave versus Photobiomodulation on pain level, ROM, muscle strength, function level, dynamic balance and thickness of ligament in patients with chronic ankle instability?

Conditions

• Chronic Ankle Instability, CAI

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

therapeutic exercise program

Each subject completes four dynamic tasks, including ankle resistance exercises, resistance kinematic chain exercises, heel raise exercises, and BOSU ball exercises at 3 times per week for 4 weeks

DEVICE

Extra corporeal shock wave therapy

The extracorporeal shock waves will be delivered with 2,500 shockwave impulses (6 Hz), The intensity of extracorporeal shock waves is adjusted according to the patients' degree of tolerance to the pain. In the experimental group, the extracorporeal shockwave will apply to the anterior talofibular ligament, posterior talofibular ligament, calcaneofibular ligament, and tibialis anterior muscle. twice per week for 4 weeks

DEVICE

photobiomodulation Therapy

Photobiomodulation therapy will be performed with a laser an 810 nm wavelength, 0 \~ 500 mW adjustable and continuous power output, and a 0.4 cm beam diameter was used. The subjects in the group C will be treated with the laser at a dose of 239 J/cm2 (power: 100 mW; intensity: 796 mW/cm2; irradiation time: 5 min/point, 20 min in total) at 3 times per week for 4 weeks

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cairo University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

QUADRUPLE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

20 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-08-29

Primary Completion

2025-12-10

Completion

2026-01-10

Countries

• Egypt

Study Locations