Stroboscopic Glasses in Rehabilitation Improve Force Accuracy and Reduce Visual Reliance in Chronic Ankle Instability.

Context: Individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) have deficits in force accuracy in evertors and hip abductors due to impaired neuromuscular control. Individuals with CAI rely more on visual information during force accuracy following lateral ankle sprain. To identify the effects of using stroboscopic glasses following a 4-week rehabilitation on force accuracy of ankle evertors, invertors, and hip abductors and visual reliance in individuals with CAI.

Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial.

Methods: A total of 50 CAI individuals were assigned to a strobe or control group. The strobe group wore stroboscopic glasses during rehabilitation, while the control group did not. Force accuracy was measured at 10% and 20% of maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). Romberg ratios were calculated as strobe vision/eyes open to identify visual reliance.

Results: The strobe group showed a greater force accuracy in 10% of evertors MVIC under the strobe vision than the control group. The strobe group showed a greater force accuracy in 10% of evertors MVIC under the strobe vision than with the eyes open. The strobe group showed an improved Romberg ratio in 10% of evertors MVIC between the pretest and posttest.

Conclusion: Stroboscopic glasses may offer clinicians a new means to reduce visual reliance, allowing them to utilize the somatosensory system more effectively around the foot/ankle complex. This may indicate reweighting of sensory systems in CAI individuals during rehabilitation.