Purpose: To estimate the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT-Sv).
Method: One hundred and seventy-one subjects participated. The psychometric properties tested for CAIT-Sv were internal consistency with Cronbach's α (n = 171) in the first measurement; test-retest reliability using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC2,1) (n = 171) in two measurements separated by one week; criterion validity by ICC2,1 between the original CAIT and CAIT-Sv in two measurements separated by two weeks for a subgroup of 54 bilingual subjects; ceiling and floor effects (n = 78 subjects with a history of at least one ankle sprain), and responsiveness using Cohen's d in a subgroup of 25 subjects with a history of at least one ankle sprain and a score ≤24 points on the CAIT-Sv and treated with a rehabilitation program during four weeks.
Results: Internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's α: 0.8-0.84). Test-retest reliability was high (ICC2,1: 0.95). Criterion validity was high (ICC2,1: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.84-0.94; p < 0.001 for dominant ankle). There were no ceiling (9%) and floor (0%) effects. Responsiveness was moderate (Cohen's d: 0.6995; CI: 0.11-1.27).
Conclusions: CAIT-Sv is a reliable instrument with high criterion validity to measure the presence and severity of chronic ankle instability (CAI) in the Spanish population. Implications for Rehabilitation Chronic ankle instability is the most prevalent complication after ankle injuries. CAIT is a widely used tool for clinical detection of subjects with chronic ankle instability (CAI). In this study, CAIT-Sv has shown good phsychometric properties for using with Spanish speaking individuals.
Keywords: Ankle; Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool; Spanish version; cross-cultural comparison; joint instability.