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Chronic ankle instability is a common and debilitating condition that develops following acute lateral ankle sprains, significantly affecting postural balance and quality of life. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether Tai Chi — a traditional practice emphasising postural control and flowing movement — could support functional rehabilitation in people living with chronic ankle instability, and what dosage might be most effective.
Researchers searched eleven major databases up to December 2025, identifying nine randomised controlled trials involving a total of 380 participants. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale and the Risk of Bias 2 tool. Statistical analyses were conducted using STATA 15.
The pooled results showed that Tai Chi produced a statistically significant improvement in Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool scores compared to control interventions. Postero-medial balance also improved significantly, while trends toward improvement in anterior and postero-lateral balance did not reach statistical significance. Performance on the Unipedal Stance Test showed no significant difference between groups. Subgroup analyses suggested that programmes lasting 12 weeks, with two sessions of 60 minutes per week, produced more consistent and less heterogeneous results than shorter or briefer formats.
The authors acknowledged limitations including high heterogeneity across some outcomes and relatively small overall sample sizes, calling for further large-scale, high-quality trials to confirm these findings.
Conclusion: Tai Chi appears to be a beneficial rehabilitation approach for chronic ankle instability, particularly for improving postero-medial balance and functional outcomes, with a 12-week, twice-weekly, 60-minute programme appearing optimal.
Source: Hao T, Yuan J, Xu M and colleagues. Foot and ankle surgery : official journal of the European Society of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (2026). View on PubMed (PMID 41723096) · doi:10.1016/j.fas.2026.02.002