Introduction: Ankle instability, which is common in athletes, results from ligament strains or tears, leading to pain, swelling, and discomfort. Acute lateral ankle sprains are typically treated with functional management, while chronic instability is usually addressed with conservative measures and may shift to surgical intervention if rehabilitation fails. Low-grade injuries are managed with conventional physiotherapy that focuses on cryotherapy, muscle strengthening, and range of motion exercises. Additionally, virtual reality training is emerging as a modern rehabilitation tool. Need of the study: There is considerable evidence regarding the effects of conventional or exercise therapy on patients with ankle instability. Even among athletes, literature supports the effectiveness of conventional treatment for this condition. However, there is a dearth of literature on the use of virtual reality training as an adjunct to conventional therapy in patient recovery. Aim: To compare the effects of virtual reality training as an adjunct to conventional therapy on dynamic balance, hop test performance, and functional outcomes in badminton players with ankle instability. Material and Methods: A randomised controlled trial will be conducted at the Wardha District Stadium and the Department of Sports Physiotherapy at Ravi Nair Physiotherapy College, Wardha, Maharashtra, India, from March 2024 to March 2025. A total of 40 patients with ankle instability will be included and divided into two groups. Group A will receive conventional therapy, while Group B will receive virtual reality training in addition to conventional therapy for six weeks. The parameters will be assessed using the Y Balance Test (YBT), the Cumberland Ankle Instability Test (CAIT), and the Hop Test at baseline and at the end of the sixth week of the intervention. The Mann-Whitney U test or Student’s unpaired t-test will be employed to compare the groups at baseline and after six weeks. The signed rank test or Student’s paired t-test will be used to investigate withingroup effects. A p-value of <0.05 will be considered statistically significant.
Satone et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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