OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis assessing the effectiveness of conservative rehabilitation programs for improving health-related quality of life (HRQL) in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus were searched from inception to January 2016. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were included if the researchers examined the effects of a conservative rehabilitation protocol in individuals with CAI, used validated patient-reported outcomes (PROs) to quantify participant-perceived HRQL, and provided adequate data to calculate the effect sizes (ESs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Studies were excluded if the authors evaluated surgical interventions, prophylactic taping, or bracing applications or examined only the immediate effects of 1 treatment session. DATA EXTRACTION: Two investigators independently assessed methodologic quality using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. Studies were considered low quality if fewer than 60% of the criteria were met. Level of evidence was assessed using the strength of recommendation taxonomy. Preintervention and postintervention sample sizes, means, and standard deviations of PROs were extracted. DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 15 studies provided 24 participant groups that were included in the analysis. Seven high-quality studies with a median PEDro score of 50% (range 10% to 80%) and a median level of evidence of 2 (range 1 to 2) were identified. The magnitudes of preintervention to postintervention PRO differences were examined using bias-corrected Hedges g ESs. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed to synthesize PRO changes across all participant groups. Positive ES values indicated better PRO scores at postintervention than at preintervention. The alpha level was set at 0.05. Meta-analysis revealed a strong ES with a nonoverlapping 95% CI (ES 1.20, CI 0.80 to 1.60; p < 0.001), indicating HRQL improved after conservative rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the quality of the evidence and the results of the meta-analysis, grade A evidence showed that conservative rehabilitation produces large improvements in HRQL for people with CAI.

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