First-time lateral ankle sprains often lead to chronic ankle instability (CAI), with 47% facing recurrent injuries, emphasizing the need for preventive measures. Side-cutting movements in sports pose a risk for CAI individuals due to potential biomechanical control alterations. While the hop-stabilization warm-up program has proven effective in preventing ankle sprains, its specific acute impact on CAI individuals lacks substantial evidence. This study employed a crossover design with eight CAI participants (23 ± 3.4 years, BMI 23 ± 1.5 kg/m2) and eight healthy participants (25 ± 3.6 years, BMI 23 ± 1.7 kg/m2) to investigate the acute effects of the hop-stabilization warm-up program on dynamic balance, ground reaction force (GRF), and muscle activity during 45- and 90-degree side-cutting movements. Each participant underwent hop-stabilization and control warm-up programs on two experimental days. Assessments, including the Y-balance test, GRF, and muscle activity pre- and post-warm-up, revealed significant improvements in dynamic balance, GRF, and muscle activity during 45-degree side-cutting movements in CAI participants. These findings suggest the potential benefits of incorporating the hop-stabilization warm-up program into the warm-up protocol for individuals with CAI.
Keywords: Warm-up program; change of direction; chronic ankle sprain; recurrent ankle injury.