ReviewHealth science reports2026
The Additive Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined With Exercise-Based Rehabilitation Interventions on Balance, Ankle Kinematics, and Muscle Activity in Individuals With Ankle Instability: A Systematic Review.
Review in Health science reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background/Aim: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been explored as a neuromodulatory technique to enhance sensorimotor function and rehabilitation outcomes in individuals with musculoskeletal disorders, including ankle instability. This study aimed to systematically synthesize the existing evidence on the additive effects of tDCS combined with exercise-based rehabilitation interventions on balance, ankle kinematics, and muscle activity in individuals with ankle instability. Methods: The databases of PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, Web of Science, and Science Direct were searched up to October 2025. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials evaluating the impacts of tDCS on individuals with ankle instability and reporting at least one outcome related to balance, ankle kinematics, or electromyographic activity. Methodological quality was appraised using a modified Downs and Black checklist. Results: Nine randomized controlled trials ( Conclusion: When used as an adjunct to exercise-based rehabilitation interventions, tDCS shows preliminary and context-dependent additive effects on balance and ankle kinematics in individuals with ankle instability, while evidence for effects on muscle activation remains inconsistent. Current data are insufficient to support routine clinical use due to methodological heterogeneity and inconsistent evidence across studies, and further methodologically standardized trials are required.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.