Immediate effect of manual therapy techniques on the limitation of ankle dorsiflexion: a randomized, controlled, blind clinical trial protocol

Abstract

Background The range of motion (RoM) of dorsiflexion (DF) plays an important role in human mobility, such as absorption of body weight during gait deceleration, jump landings, balance, and eccentric movements. This limitation can generate potentially damaging movements. This way, evaluating techniques for DF RoM increase could help improve immediate performance in such functional activities. This being the case, the objective of this study will be to verify the sum effect of different joint mobilization techniques for DF gain in persons practicing physical activities and its relationship with functional performance and balance. Methodology This is a randomized, controlled, and blind clinical trial. Fifty-four (54) volunteers will be recruited, aged between 18 and 40 years, who have DF limitations. After checking eligibility criteria, the participants will be submitted to a physiotherapeutic evaluation. A researcher, blind to evaluation and treatment, will perform the randomization of patients in groups: (A) Joint Mobilization - Mulligan Concept and (B) Joint Mobilization - Maitland Method. All volunteers will be submitted by two blind evaluators for randomization and treatment groups. They will realize the initial evaluation (A0), immediately after techniques (A1) and after 3–4 days of the technique application (A2). A different researcher, blind for evaluation, will perform the treatment, according to the randomization group. Discussion It is already known that DF RoM limitation can lead to compensatory and potentially damaging lower limb movements and that joint mobilizations are effective to treatment. However, there is no consensus whether the application of these techniques would also improve aspects of dynamic postural balance and performance in individuals practicing physical activity, and whether the sum of two joint mobilization techniques could enhance this effect. Trial registration Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC) RBR-93xv9t. Registered on 09 April 2020.

The influence of gender and sport on popliteal angle and dorsiflexion in junior high school students

“…There are isolated reports of a greater likelihood of increased foot dorsiflexion in women following exercise [27]. A number of researchers have highlighted the effectiveness of activity to increase the range of motion in the joints, but they either found no differences between the genders or have not examined such differences [28][29][30][31][32].…”

Physiotherapy Rehabilitation Strategies for Post-operative Trimalleolar Ankle Fracture: A Case Report

“…In the closed kinetic chain (CKC), the anterior sliding of the tibia over the talus and the posterior sliding of the talus over the tibia is responsible for the arthro-kinematic movement of the DF. When doing CKC activities, DF restriction may make it difficult for the tibia to move over the talus, restrict knee flexion, reduce the capacity of the body to withstand eccentric loads, and cause the body to make compensatory movements with the knee and hip in the frontal plane [7]. After surgery, ankle edema is a typical and long-lasting complication.…”