Assessment of Rehabilitation Strategies for Ankle Sprain and Effectiveness When Returning to Sport

Abstract

Ankle sprains are among the most common injuries in sports and are frequently associated with recurrent instability and prolonged functional deficits. The aim of this thesis was to review conservative rehabilitation strategies for lateral ankle sprain and to evaluate their effectiveness in relation to return to sport. A structured literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, and 27 relevant studies were included in the final analysis. The findings indicate that proprioceptive and balance training significantly reduce reinjury risk, while strength training and neuromuscular rehabilitation improve functional stability and performance. Manual therapy may contribute to improved range of motion and pain reduction when used as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program. Overall, multimodal rehabilitation approaches appear to provide the most effective support for safe and sustainable return to sport after ankle sprain.