The most common injury among military and civilian populations is the ankle sprain.  While often dismissed as inconsequential, more than half will experience repetitive ankle injuries, often within a year of the first injury. The associated long term pain, disability, time loss and substantial financial burden suggests the standard of care for treating ankle sprains is insufficient. Dr. Phillip Gribble was awarded a 4 year, $2.5 million grant from the Department of Defense to examine how an innovative rehabilitation protocol will lower the re-injury rate and improve sensorimotor function in ankle sprain patients during a one year follow up. 

Dr. Gribble will lead a team of researchers and clinicians from the University of Kentucky, University of North Carolina, and William Beaumont Army Medical Center/Fort Bliss (El Paso, TX) to implement this clinical trial.  The study will blend clinical measurements with advanced measures of brain structure and ankle cartilage using MRI, as well as innovative outcomes that quantify nerve pathway function from the brain and spinal cord. This integrative approach to rehabilitation will significantly impact the short and long-term health and well-being of those affected by ankle sprains in our military and civilian populations.