Comparison of the effects of Wii and conventional training on functional abilities and neurocognitive function in basketball-players with functional ankle instability: Matched randomized clinical trial

Objective: To compare the effects of Wii and conventional training on functional abilities and neurocognitive function in basketball-players with Functional Ankle Instability (FAI). Design: Single-blind matched randomized clinical trial study. Setting: Outpatients setting. Participants: Fifty-four basketball-players were randomly assigned to the Wii and control group. Interventions: All athletes in the Wii group (n = 27) performed Wii Fit Plus games; and in the control group (n = 27), they performed conventional training three days a week for 12 sessions. Main outcome measures: To assess functional performance and neurocognitive function, we used hop tests (8-hop, side hop, and single hop) and Deary-Liewald Reaction Time Task (DLRT), respectively. DLRT measured simple and choice reaction time and error rate. Measures were taken at baseline, four weeks, and eight weeks after baseline. Results: In all 54 athletes completed the study. The results showed no significant differences for all hop tests in between-group comparison but the neurocognitive function showed significant improvements in the Wii group compared to the control group (P