Background and Aim: Functional ankle instability (FAI) as giving away after recurrent sprains is the most common disabling complications of ankle sprain among athletes. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of core stability exercises and neuro-muscular exercises on dynamic balance and lower limb function of athletes with functional ankle instability.

Material and Methods: Hence, 36 athlete women with FAI selected purposively by functional ankle tool questionnaire were assigned randomly to a control group (n=12), core stability group (n=12) and neuromuscular group (n=12). Exercise groups performed 6 weeks of supervised core and neuromuscular training programs for 3 days per week. Before and after performing 6 weeks of core and neuromuscular exercises, dynamic balance, subjective and objective function of participants were assessed respectively by y-balance test, foot and ankle ability measure and 8 hopping test. Gathered data was analyzed by descriptive statistics and MANCOVA test at significant level of p≤0.05.

Results: Research findings showed significant improvement in reach distance in three different directions of the y-balance test in the experimental groups compared with control group (P <0.05). In addition, exercise groups had significant improvement in FAAM and FAAM Sport scores and 8 hop test scores compared with control group (P <0.05). Nonetheless, there was no significant difference between the effects of these two exercise protocols on dynamic balance and lower limb function.

Conclusion: Six weeks progressive supervised core stability and neuromuscular training programs significantly improved measured dynamic balance and lower limb function of athletes with FAI, but these two different exercise protocols had the same effects in improvement of these mentioned factors in athletes with functional ankle instability.

Keywords: Functional Ankle Instability, Core Stability Exercises, Neuromuscular Exercises Dynamic Balance.

Received: Sep 27, 2015      Accepted: Apr 26, 2016