OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of wobble board training on the onset of muscle activity and perception of stability in participants with a functionally unstable ankle. PARTICIPANTS: Nineteen male participants (mean age 29.7 years, SD 4.9) who complained of a weak ankle and had sustained at least three sprains in the past 2 years, but no injury for 3 months, a negative anterior draw, normal standing biomechanics, no movement dysfunction, and no cardiac or neurological balance problems. METHODS: Participants completed a questionnaire on functional stability. Using surface electromyography (sEMG) the onset time of the tibialis anterior (TA) and peroneus longus (PL) were recorded in response to a sudden 20 degrees inversion. Participants were assigned to two groups; control (n = 9) and exercise (n = 10). The exercise group underwent a monitored 4-week wobble board programme (10 min per session, three times per week). RESULTS: Post training, the exercise group showed a significant decrease in muscle onset latency (p < 0.05) and a significant improvement in perception of their functional stability (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that, even after a short period, wobble board exercise reduces the likelihood of further sprains in individuals with functionally unstable ankles.

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