Applicability of the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool in Elite Volleyball Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study
Flavia Figlioli,
Giacomo Belmonte,
Valerio Giustino,
Alberto Canzone,
Elena Ferrantello,
Marco Gervasi,
Eneko Fernández-Peña,
Giuseppe Battaglia,
Antonino Bianco,
Antonino Patti
Affiliations
Flavia Figlioli
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Giacomo Belmonte
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Valerio Giustino
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Alberto Canzone
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Elena Ferrantello
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Marco Gervasi
Department of Biomolecular Sciences—Division of Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029 Urbino, Italy
Eneko Fernández-Peña
Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 01007 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Giuseppe Battaglia
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Antonino Bianco
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Antonino Patti
Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90144 Palermo, Italy
Background: The ease of administration of the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) could represent a methodology for periodically evaluating athletes, preventing ankle instability injuries. This study aimed to achieve three objectives: (a) to evaluate the applicability of the CAIT scale in volleyball; (b) to explore whether ankle instability presents a greater risk in lower-level volleyball categories and whether elite athletes demonstrate an ability to mitigate this risk; and (c) to identify potential predictors of ankle instability. Methods: Eighty female volleyball players participated in this cross-sectional observational study. The CAIT was administered to evaluate the athletes belonging to some teams in Series A, B, and C. Results: The Spearman’s ranks correlation coefficient showed significant correlations between CAIT items. Additionally, the Cronbach’s α showed a high internal consistency. Our results showed a significant difference between athletes who reported pain and those who did not (p p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the CAIT can be used to evaluate ankle stability in volleyball players. This scale could represent a valuable tool for implementing specific intervention programs to prevent ankle injuries in athletes.
