2018-06-052025-07-282018-06-052018-06-0510.3233/IES-170657https://ir.ntus.edu.tw/handle/987654321/65712BACKGROUND: Cryotherapy is a common treatment in sports injury but its effect on proprioception and balance in patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI) is yet unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of cryotherapy on ankle proprioception and dynamic stance balance in the subjects with CAI. METHODS: Thirty-three subjects with CAI participated in this study. A cold pack was applied on anterior-lateral ankle area for 20 minutes. Proprioception and star excursion balance test were performed prior to cryotherapy, immediately after cryotherapy and 30-min after cryotherapy. A two-way ANOVA repeated measure was performed for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The affected ankle showed a significantly greater proprioceptive error than the unaffected ankle (p < 0.05). Immediately after application of cryotherapy proved significantly detrimental to the reaching distance at either baseline or 30-min after (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In subjects with CAI cryotherapy may adversely affect dynamic stance balance particularly when the latter follows immediately the application of the former. Coaches and athletes should be aware of this phenomenon.141 bytestext/htmlStar Excursion Balance Test, Joint Repositioning Sense; Joint Coolingarticle