Thirteen studies were included in the review. Nine studies (including four RCTs) assessed exercises. Four studies (including one RCT) assessed taping. Sample sizes were very small, ranging from 10 to 48 individuals (total 238) for exercise and 17 to 43 individuals (total 84) for taping. In some cases, studies included uninjured people as controls plus people with ankle instability. The evidence was assessed as being of poor methodological quality, with RCTs not reporting details of randomisation or allocation concealment and most not having blinded outcome assessment. Quasi-RCTs often did not report selection methods. Across the studies there was poor reporting of dropouts before study completion.
Exercise: Four studies supported a role for proprioceptive exercise in improving postural sway, with two using a six-week composite exercise programme involving ankle discs, tilt boards and single-leg standing. Evidence for the impact of these programmes on joint reposition tests was inconclusive. Two studies indicated that proprioceptive retraining may improve peroneus longus muscle reaction time. Two studies suggested that ankle disc training improves the reaction time of the tibialis anterior. Studies differed sufficiently that it was not possible to identify the intervention characteristics required to make the training effective. There was some evidence (one study for each component) that agility ladder, theraband kicks, theraband strengthening and combinations of these may not be effective for improving postural sway. Single studies indicated some value in single-leg stand ankle disc training and Biodex stability system programmes for improving postural sway.
Taping: Three out of four studies suggested that taping may affect some measures of proprioception. Evidence for an impact on muscle reaction time and kinaesthesia was found from only one study in each case. Taping alone and taping combined with ankle disc training both showed impact on postural sway in single studies.