The Effectiveness of a Hydrotherapy-Based Rehabilitation Program in Improving Range of Motion and Muscle Strength in Athletes with Partial Lateral Ankle Ligament Tears
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37359/JOPE.V38(3)2026.2330Keywords:
Hydrotherapy, Injury Rehabilitation, Lateral Ankle Ligament Tear, Range of Motion, Team SportsAbstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a hydrotherapy-based rehabilitation program in improving the range of motion (ROM), muscular strength, and functional performance in athletes suffering from partial tears of the lateral ankle ligament. An experimental design with two groups (experimental and control) was employed on a sample of ten athletes. The experimental group underwent a structured hydrotherapy rehabilitation program for 12 weeks (three sessions per week), while the control group received traditional therapy. Range of motion was measured using a goniometer and muscle strength using a dynamometer. Functional performance was assessed using the Vertical Jump Test and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test. Statistical analysis revealed significant improvements in all measured variables for the experimental group compared to the control group. The results confirm the effectiveness of hydrotherapy in accelerating recovery and restoring joint function after lateral ankle ligament injury.
References
American College of Sports Medicine. (2020). Guidelines for rehabilitation of ankle injuries in athletes. Sports Medicine Journal, 45(3), 210–220.
Brukner, P., & Khan, K. (2017). Clinical Sports Medicine (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Dimitrakopoulou, A., English, B., Kartsonaki, C., Gledhill, A., & Schilders, E. (2024). The effectiveness of hydrotherapy on return to play in sports following hip arthroscopic surgery: a comparative study. Hip international : the journal of clinical and experimental research on hip pathology and therapy, 34(1), 115–121. https://doi.org/10.1177/11207000231167349
Doub, J. B., Urish, K., & Chan, B. (2023). Bacteriophage therapy for periprosthetic joint infections: Current limitations and research needed to advance this therapeutic. Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society, 41(5), 1097–1104. https://doi.org/10.1002/jor.25432
Hertel, J. (2002). Functional anatomy, pathomechanics, and pathophysiology of lateral ankle instability. Journal of Athletic Training, 37(4), 364–375.
Johnson, R. S., & Brown, T. (2010). Aquatic therapy vs. traditional rehabilitation for ankle injuries: A comparative study. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 31(5), 321–328.
Jones, A., Smith, B., & Clark, T. (2022). The role of aquatic therapy in reducing re-injury risk and enhancing recovery in athletes. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 17(1), 5–15.
Kisner, C., & Colby, L. A. (2017). Therapeutic Exercise: Foundations and Techniques (7th ed.). F.A. Davis Company.
Markovic, G., & Sekulic, D. (2020). Measurement of vertical jump performance: A standardized protocol. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 34(8), 2231–2237.
Norkin, C. C., & White, W. D. J. (2016). Measurement of Joint Motion: A Guide to Goniometry (5th ed.). F.A. Davis Company.
Podsiadlo, D., & Richardson, S. (1991). The timed "Up & Go": a test of basic functional mobility for frail elderly persons. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 39(2), 142–148. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.1991.tb01616.x
Smith, J., Johnson, R., & Thompson, B. (2021). The effectiveness of aquatic therapy in improving ankle range of motion in athletes with lateral ligament injuries. Journal of Sports Rehabilitation, 30(2), 145–152.
Stark, T., Walker, B., Phillips, J. K., Fejer, R., & Beck, R. (2019). Reliability and validity of hand-held dynamometry for measuring muscle strength in patients with ankle injuries. Journal of Sports Rehabilitation, 28(3), 245–250.
Wang, T. J., Belza, B., Elaine Thompson, F., Whitney, J. D., & Bennett, K. (2007). Effects of aquatic exercise on flexibility, strength and aerobic fitness in adults with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. Journal of advanced nursing, 57(2), 141–152. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.04102.x
Watanabe, K., Holobar, A., Mita, Y., Tomita, A., Yoshiko, A., Kouzaki, M., Uchida, K., & Moritani, T. (2020). Modulation of Neural and Muscular Adaptation Processes During Resistance Training by Fish Protein Ingestions in Older Adults. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, 75(5), 867–874. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glz215
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Physical Education
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
tps://emarefa.net/arcif/ar/تقرير-2025/
The Journal of Physical Education (JOPE) applies a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0), which lets others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation. For more information, click the link : 