Effect of Blood flow Restriction Therapy on Balance in Chronic Ankle Instability in Sports Injury: A Scoping Review.

Abstract

Background: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is a common consequence of acute ankle sprains, particularly in athletes, and is marked by recurrent sprains, pain, instability, and functional deficits. Traditional rehabilitation often fails to provide adequate load to stimulate enough strength and neuromuscular adaptations. Blood Flow Restriction Therapy (BFRT) is a novel rehabilitation method that allows low-load exercise to produce high-load training effects by partially restricting blood flow. BFRT has been shown to enhance muscle hypertrophy, hormonal responses, functional, dynamic balance and neuromuscular function making it a promising intervention for CAI Methodology: A literature search was conducted using electronic databases on Google scholar, PUBMED, Researchgate, Science direct, Pedro and Sportdiscus. Articles published between 2018 and 2024 were reviewed and selected based on PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Result: From 1,373 articles screened, 1,366 were excluded for duplication, irrelevance, or not meeting criterias, following the PRISMA-ScR process. The result of this study states that adding BFRT in rehabilitation leads to good outcomes in muscle activation, functional and dynamic balance. BFR when used in dynamic exercise showed greater exertion and fatigue which makes it a potential tool for balance training. BFR alone is not effective compared to BFR+R or Rehab alone. Conclusion: PAP improves short-term explosive performance in football players by enhancing jump, sprint, and agility through neuromuscular activation. Its effectiveness depends on load, recovery, and athlete fitness level.