SENSOR-BASED INTELLIGENT REHABILITATION VERSUS PNF FOR FUNCTIONAL ANKLE INSTABILITY: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Background: Functional ankle instability is a frequent consequence of ankle injury and may lead to recurrent giving way, pain, impaired balance, and reduced functional performance. Conventional rehabilitation approaches such as proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation are commonly used to improve neuromuscular control, while sensor-based intelligent rehabilitation provides real-time feedback and objective movement correction. Comparing these approaches may help identify a more effective rehabilitation strategy for improving clinical outcomes in adults with functional ankle instability. Objective: To compare the effects of sensor-based intelligent rehabilitation and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation on pain, functional disability, and dynamic balance among adults with functional ankle instability. Methods: This single-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted over six months at Chaudhry Muhammad Akram Teaching and Research Hospital, Lahore. A total of 66 participants were enrolled through non-probability purposive sampling and randomly allocated into two equal groups using the lottery method. Group A received sensor-based intelligent rehabilitation using smart insole-guided balance and ankle-control exercises, while Group B received proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. Both interventions were delivered over four weeks. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale, functional disability through the Foot and Ankle Disability Index, and dynamic balance through the Y Balance Test. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27.0. Results: The mean age was 28.15 ± 4.62 years in Group A and 26.64 ± 5.10 years in Group B. Post-treatment VAS scores were significantly lower in Group A than Group B (3.60 ± 1.60 vs. 4.45 ± 1.42, p = 0.026). FADI scores were significantly higher in Group A than Group B (65.88 ± 7.27 vs. 62.00 ± 5.79, p = 0.019). Y Balance Test scores also showed significantly greater improvement in Group A compared with Group B (79.66 ± 3.54 vs. 76.93 ± 3.70, p = 0.003). Conclusion: Sensor-based intelligent rehabilitation produced greater improvement in pain, disability, and dynamic balance than proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, suggesting its practical value as an effective rehabilitation approach for functional ankle instability. Keywords: Ankle Injuries; Ankle Joint; Exercise Therapy; Pain; Postural Balance; Proprioception; Rehabilitation