ArticleBMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation2025
Comparative analysis of land-based vs. water-based balance training on quality of life and physical and psychological deficits in athletes with chronic ankle instability: a randomized controlled trial.
Article in BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07376915 (The Acute Effect of Graded Motor Imagery-Based Mental Preparation on Ankle Rehabilitation), which is not on this map. Cited by 3 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
The Acute Effect of Graded Motor Imagery-Based Mental Preparation on Ankle Rehabilitation: A Pilot Clinical Study
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The Impact of Aquatic Training on Athletic Performance and Physical Recovery in Competitive Athletes: A Meta-Analysis.Journal of strength and conditioning research · 2026Pooled it
- Direction-specific effects of balance training on dynamic balance in athletes with chronic ankle instability: a multilevel meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Pooled it
- Feasibility and Preliminary Effects of Aquatic Exercise on Pulmonary Function and Dynamic Balance in Young Adult Smokers: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAquatic training is known for its effective and gentle rehabilitation benefits, but its impact on athletes with chronic ankle instability (CAI) remains underexplored. This study compares the effects of water-based and land-based balance training on functional performance, dynamic balance, fear of reinjury, and quality of life in athletes with CAI.
methodsForty-one athletes with chronic ankle instability (CAI) were randomly assigned to water-based (WBBE, n = 21) or land-based (LBBE, n = 20) balance exercise groups, completing 24 sessions of 30-45 min over 8 weeks. Assessments before and after the interventions included functional ankle instability (CAIT), kinesiophobia (TSK-17), quality of life (SF-36), dynamic postural control (Y Balance Test), and functional performance (Figure-8 hop and single-limb side-hop tests). Perceived treatment effects were measured using the Global Rating of Change (GROC) post-intervention. Data were analyzed using mixed-design ANOVA (P ≤ 0.05).
resultsThe statistical analysis of the study revealed no significant time × group interaction effects for CAIT scores, kinesiophobia scores, the Psychological Quality of Life (QoL) Component, or SEBT scores (p > 0.05). The LBBE group showed significant improvements in functional tasks, specifically in F8H and SLSH scores, compared to the WBBE group (p < 0.05), while the WBBE group had better outcomes in overall Quality of Life and the Physical QoL Component than the LBBE group (p < 0.05).
conclusionBoth land-based and water-based balance exercises benefit athletes with CAI, with land-based exercises improving functional performance and water-based exercises enhancing physical and overall Quality of Life. A flexible rehabilitation program combining both approaches can optimize recovery, addressing specific needs, even though no significant differences were found in ankle stability, kinesiophobia, psychological Quality of Life, and dynamic balance between the two methods.
trial registrationThis study was prospectively registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry under Clinical Trials UMIN000051746 on July 29, 2023.
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