INTRODUCTION: Ankle sprain is the most common pathology in sport. In the scientific literature, many prevention protocols have been described, but without consensus. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a 5-week ankle sprain prevention protocol, based on international guidelines and requiring no special equipment. METHOD: In total, 36 subjects, divided in 2 groups, were included. The control group underwent classic preseason preparation. In the intervention group, classic preseason preparation was associated to a prevention protocol with lower limb neuromuscular exercises. Short-, medium- and long-term effects were assessed and compared using the modified Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) modified. The main endpoint was modified SEBT composite score (SC). RESULTS: Analysis of results found no significant differences in SEBT between the 2 groups, after the protocol (p = 0.23), at 3 months (p = 0.23) or at 10 months (p = 0.13). On intragroup comparison, however, SC increased significantly in the intervention group after the protocol period (p = 0.03), which was not the case in the control group (p = 0.68). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the 5-week prevention protocol significantly improved dynamic balance in the intervention group. These results may explain the lower number of ankle sprains occurring during the season, compared to the control group. Key parameters seem to enhance the efficacy of this type of protocol: high frequency of weekly sessions, short protocol to encourage adherence, and inclusion of strategies not specifically targeting the ankle (knee, hip, trunk), optimally reproducing functional movements. These results are to be confirmed with a larger population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2.

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