B Clinicians should include patient age, body mass index, pain coping strategies, report of instability, history of previous sprain, ability to bear weight, pain with weight bearing, ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM), medial jointline tenderness, balance, and ability to jump and land (as safely tolerated) in their initial assessment, because of their role in influencing the clinical course and estimation of time to accomplish the goals of an individual with an acute lateral ankle sprain (LAS).
CLINICAL COURSE -CHRONIC ANKLE INSTABILITYC Clinicians may include previous treatment, number of sprains, pain level, and self-report of function in their evaluation, as well as an assessment of the sensorimotor movement systems of the foot, ankle, knee, and hip during dynamic postural control and functional movements, because of their role in influencing the clinical course and estimation of time to accomplish the goals of an individual with chronic ankle instability (CAI).
DIAGNOSIS/CLASSIFICATION -ACUTE LATERAL ANKLE SPRAINB Clinicians should use special tests, including the reverse anterolateral drawer test and anterolateral talar palpation in addition to the traditional anterior drawer test, and a thorough history and physical examination to aid in the diagnosis of a LAS.
DIAGNOSIS/CLASSIFICATION -CHRONIC ANKLE INSTABILITYB When determining whether an individual has CAI, clinicians should use a reliable and valid discriminative instrument, such as the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool or the Identification of Functional Ankle Instability, as well as a battery of functional performance tests that have established validity to differentiate between healthy controls and individuals with CAI.
EXAMINATION -OUTCOME MEASURESA Clinicians should use validated patient-reported outcome measures, such as the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System physical function and pain interference scales, the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure, and the Lower Extremity Functional Scale, as part of a standard clinical examination. Clinicians should utilize these before and 1 or more times after the application of interventions intended to alleviate the impairments of body function and structure, activity limitations, and participation restrictions associated with an acute LAS or CAI.C Clinicians may use the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire in the acute and postacute periods after a LAS to assess effective coping strategies for pain, and the 11-item Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia and the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire to assess fear of movement and reinjury and fear-avoidance beliefs in those with CAI.
EXAMINATION -PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT MEASURESA Clinicians should assess and document ankle swelling, ROM, talar translation, talar inversion, and single-leg balance in patients with an acute LAS, postacute LAS, or CAI at baseline and 2 or more times over an episode of care. Clinicians should specifically include measures of dorsiflexion, using the weight-bearing lunge test, static single-limb balance on a firm surface with eyes...
