400 Section - The Additional Effect of Auto-Regulated Blood Flow Restriction Exercise on Functional Performance and Muscle Fatigability in Athletes with Recurrent Ankle Sprain: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Study

At the Sharjah University Medical Campus, 45 athletes from Shabab Al Ahli Club, aged 18-40, participated in this randomized control study. Participants were randomly allocated into three equal groups (15 per each). The first group was recruited to an auto-regulated blood flow restriction training plus traditional treatment program (ARBFRT+TT), the second group to a non-regulated blood flow restriction training plus traditional treatment program (NRBFRT+TT), and the third group to a traditional treatment program only without BFRT (TT group). Extrinsic foot muscle strength was assessed using an isokinetic device and functional performance was assessed using functional ankle disability index (FADI) and rate of perceived exertion scale (RPES), before and after intervention.

Results: The three groups had significant variations in ankle muscle strength (evertors, invertors, plantar flexors, and dorsi flexors) and functional outcomes (FADI and RPES) post-intervention (p< 0.001). Within-group analysis revealed significant improvements in ARBFRT+TT and NRBFRT+TT groups but not in the TT group. While slight improvements favored ARBFRT over NRBFRT, no significant differences were found in ankle muscle strength or FADI between them (p˃0.05); however, RPES significantly improved in the ARBFRT group when compared with NRBFRT or TT groups.

Conclusion:

Based on the study findings, it was concluded that auto-regulated blood flow restriction exercise has positive effects on ankle foot muscle strength and fatigability in athletes with CAI. Our study findings strongly recommend that auto-regulated blood flow restriction exercise should be included in the rehabilitation program for CAI.