CONTEXT: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is prevalent among athletes and is associated with impaired sensorimotor function, reduced dynamic stability, and limited functional movement, increasing the risk of reinjury. Aquatic exercise offers a low-impact alternative to land-based rehabilitation by reducing joint loading and promoting neuromuscular adaptations. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an 8-week aquatic exercise program on functional outcomes in athletes with CAI. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial with preintervention and postintervention assessments. METHODS: Forty male athletes (aged 18 to 30) with clinically diagnosed CAI were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 20) which completed an 8-week aquatic exercise program or a control group (n = 20) which continued regular activity without structured rehabilitation. The intervention included 3 weekly aquatic sessions targeting balance, proprioception, and strength. Primary outcomes were functional movement (Functional Movement Screen), dynamic balance (Y-Balance Test), and self-reported ankle function (Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool, Identification of Functional Ankle Instability, Foot and Ankle Ability Measure, Foot and Ankle Ability Measure-Sport). Secondary outcomes included static balance, dorsiflexion range of motion, proprioception, and jumping performance. Repeated-measures analysis of variance and nonparametric tests were used, with p < 0.05 as significance. RESULTS: The intervention group showed significant improvements in Functional Movement Screen scores, dynamic balance (p < 0.001), dorsiflexion range of motion (+19.6%, p < 0.001), and self-reported ankle function (up to +46.9%, p < 0.001). Jumping performance significantly improved, with reduced completion times in the side-hop (-18.1%) and 8-line hop (-12.9%) tests, and increased distance in the triple-hop test (+8.5%; all p < 0.01). Static balance improved in eyes-open condition (p < 0.001). No significant change occurred in proprioception (p = 0.506). The control group showed no significant improvements. CONCLUSIONS: An 8-week aquatic exercise program significantly improves functional movement, balance, flexibility, jumping ability, and self-reported ankle function in athletes with CAI. These findings support aquatic therapy as a clinically effective, low-impact rehabilitation option for restoring sensorimotor performance and sport readiness.
Copyright Human Kinetics. Reprinted with permission from Human Kinetics (Champaign, IL).

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