Improving Proprioception to Maximize Ankle Stability With a Soccer Player | Grade III Ankle Sprain

Eight weeks ago, this high school soccer player suffered a significant lateral ankle sprain, damaging her lateral ligaments and the peroneal tendons. Her progress has been great and it’s time for another challenging exercise progression.

She’s performing forward step-ups on the BOSU balance trainer. To increase the difficulty of the exercise, she is wearing strobe eyewear to disrupt her vision and proprioception, making the exercise more challenging. Strobe eyewear helps to improve dynamic joint stability by training the sensorimotor system to enhance proprioception.

Most of the research and clinical commentary with stroboscopic eyewear has been after knee surgery, specifically anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) patients. Research has investigated neuroplasticity for visual-motor training.

The clinical reasoning is

❌ Disrupted afferent input
❌ Altered proprioception
❌ Altered efferent output
❌ Change in postural control
❌ Change in movement control

The change in movement control is the reliance on visual feedback to maintain neuromuscular control. Treatment with strobe eyewear is utilized for visual-motor training with criterion-based exercise progressions.

As always — train both legs!

Effective and efficient rehab is criterion-based, not time-based.

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Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise program. STOP exercising if you experience any symptoms of weakness, unsteadiness, light-headedness/dizziness, chest pain or pressure, nausea, or shortness of breath.

Performing these exercises should not cause pain. If you experience pain while exercising, decrease the speed of your movement. If the pain persists - STOP. Mild soreness after exercising may be experienced after beginning a new exercise.

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