Eye exercises may boost ankle stability in athletes

NCT ID NCT07728526

Symptom relief Sponsor: Bahçeşehir University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jul 27, 2026 · Last updated Aug 11, 2026 · Updated 4 times

Summary

This trial tests whether adding vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) exercises—simple eye movements that help stabilize gaze during head motion—to standard balance training can improve dynamic balance, reduce ankle instability, and sharpen cognitive performance in amateur athletes with chronic ankle instability. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either balance training alone or balance training plus VOR exercises. The study aims to see if this combined approach offers better outcomes than balance training alone.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Vestibulo-ocular reflex exercises added to postural stabilization training
What this could lead to: If it works, this could point toward a more effective rehabilitation approach for chronic ankle instability in athletes, potentially reducing re-injury risk.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-stage trial with 56 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The added benefit of VOR exercises over standard training alone may be small or absent.

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Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 56 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Jul 2026

Expected to finish

Jul 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 35 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Being between 18 and 35 years of age. * Being classified as a Tier 2 athlete according to the McKay et al. Participant Classification Framework (trained/developmental level). * Having a history of at least one lateral ankle sprain (LAS) occurring at least 12 months before enrollment, resulting in swelling, pain, and functional impairment, and followed by persistent instability. * Having the most recent ankle sprain at least 3 months before study enrollment. * Having a history of recurrent ankle sprains or episodes of "giving way." * Having a diagnosis of unilateral chronic ankle instability (CAI). * Having a Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool - Turkish Version (CAIT-T) score of ≤24. * Having a Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) score of \<90%. * Having a Foot and Ankle Ability Measure Sports subscale (FAAM-S) score of \<80%. * A side-to-side difference of ≥2.5 cm in Weight-Bearing Lunge Test distance, with the affected side demonstrating less dorsiflexion than the unaffected side. Exclusion Criteria: * History of acute lateral ankle sprain within the last 3 months. * History of lower extremity surgery. * History of acute injury to other musculoskeletal structures of the lower extremity joints within the last 3 months that affected joint integrity and function and caused interruption of desired physical activity for at least one day. * History of balance or vestibular disorders, including cerebellar, vestibular, cochlear, or inner ear dysfunction. * Visual problems that may affect the administration or interpretation of the Dynamic Visual Acuity Test, including a history of amblyopia, diplopia, or significant visual loss. * Persistent symptoms related to a previous concussion or traumatic brain injury.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

ankle injury Sprains and Strains

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Ankle inversion sprain Ankle sprain strain Ankle sprains

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

The places running it

1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
The official record

ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

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Eye exercises may boost ankle stability in athletes

What the study statuses mean