Abstract
BackgroundThe 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.MethodologyThis 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.DiscussionIt 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 registrationBrazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC) RBR-93xv9t. Registered on 09 April 2020.
Highlights
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
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
There is no consensus whether the application of these techniques would 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
Summary
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. Some studies suggest that lower values may be considered inadequate and associated with patterns of potentially predictive movements of lower limb injury [2, 4] These movement patterns are related to physical activities that require a wide amplitude of DF, such as jumping, step-up, and step-down, since the RoM of normal DF collaborates in the load absorption imposed on the lower limb [2, 5, 6]. In conditions of CKC activities, DF limitation could difficult progression of the tibia over the talus, limit knee flexion, decrease absorption capacity of eccentric loads and lead to compensatory knee and hip movements in the frontal plan e[7]
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