Central imaging based on near-infrared functional imaging technology can be useful to plan management in patients with chronic lateral ankle instability.

Background: Near infrared brain functional imaging (FNIRS) has been used for the evaluation of brain functional areas, the imaging differences of central activation of cognitive-motor dual tasks between patients with chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI) and healthy population remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluated the role of central imaging based on FNIRS technology on the plan management in patients with CLAI, to provide insights to the clinical treatment of CLAI.

Methods: CLAI patients treated in our hospital from January 1, 2021 to June 31, 2022 were selected. Both CLAI patients and health controls were intervened with simple task and cognitive-motor dual task under sitting and walking conditions, and the changes of oxygenated hemoglobin concentration in bilateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), premotor cortex (PMC) and auxiliary motor area (SMA) were collected and compared.

Results: A total of 23 participants were enrolled. There were significant differences in the fNIRS ΔHbO of barefoot subtractive walking PFC-R and barefoot subtractive walking SMA-R between experimental and control group (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in ΔHbO between the experimental group and the control group in other states (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in ΔHbO between the experimental group and the control group in each state of the brain PMC region.

Conclusion: Adaptive alterations may occur within the relevant brain functional regions of individuals with CLAI. The differential activation observed between the PFC and the SMA could represent a compensatory mechanism emerging from proprioceptive afferent disruptions following an initial ankle sprain.