Selection Criteria for Patients With Chronic Ankle Instability in Controlled Research: A Position Statement of the International Ankle Consortium

TLDR

The International Ankle Consortium aims to advance ankle research, but chronic ankle instability remains poorly defined and studies use inconsistent selection criteria, limiting the generalizability of findings. This statement proposes evidence‑based standards for selecting CAI patients in research.

Abstract

The International Ankle Consortium is an international community of researchers and clinicians whose primary scholastic purpose is to promote scholarship and dissemination of research-informed knowledge related to pathologies of the ankle complex. The constituents of the International Ankle Consortium and other similar organizations have yet to properly define the clinical phenomenon known as chronic ankle instability (CAI) and its related characteristics for consistent patient recruitment and advancement of research in this area. Although research on CAI and awareness of its impact on society and healthcare systems have grown substantially in the last 2 decades, the inconsistency in participant/patient selection criteria across studies presents a potential obstacle to addressing the problem properly. This major gap within the literature limits the ability to generalize this evidence to the target patient population. Therefore, there is a need to provide standards for patient/participant selection criteria in research focused on CAI, with justifications using the best available evidence.