Neurofascial Dextrose Prolotherapy for Managing Chronic Ankle Ligament Injury

OBJECTIVES: Due to the anti-inflammatory effects of dextrose prolotherapy, we evaluated the effectiveness of extra-articular, neurofascial dextrose prolotherapy in chronic ankle ligament injury. METHODS: Patients with chronic ankle ligament injury entered this uncontrolled before-after study based on eligibility criteria. Patients who consented to participate in the study filled out the prepared questionnaire containing demographic data, the Cumberland ankle instability tool (CAIT), and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The initial CAIT score of less than 25 indicated functional instability following an ankle sprain. Patients underwent neurofascial prolotherapy with dextrose 12.5%. Two injections within one month were done. The CAIT was completed one, three, and six months after the intervention. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients with chronic ankle ligament injury were investigated. The mean CAIT score was 1.88 (± 2.35) before the intervention, which increased significantly over the study (P < 0.001). The CAIT score reached 21.84 (± 6.04) in the sixth month after the intervention. Moreover, the VAS score decreased significantly over the study from 6.12 (± 2.35) before the intervention to 1.24 (± 0.43) in the sixth month after the intervention (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings revealed the therapeutic effectiveness of dextrose neurofascial prolotherapy in decreasing pain and functional instability in patients suffering chronic ankle pain due to ligamentous injury accompanied by chronic ankle instability.