Force-Displacement Relationship During Anteroposterior Mobilization of the Ankle Joint

Marcelo v.S. de Souza, Claudia Venturini, Luciana M. Teixeira, Mauro H. Chagas and Marcos A. de Resende

The purpose of this study was to determinate the correlation between force and displacement during passive anteroposterior mobilization of the talus and the effect of this treatment technique on ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM).  Maitland grades III and IV mobilization were applied on the right ankle of 25 healthy subjects by 2 randomized raters. A fair positive correlation was found between force range and displacement and a fair negative correlation was found between minimum forces and displacement. Significant increase in dorsiflexion was found in the right ankle comparing ROM before and after mobilization.

These results of this study do not support a linear force-displacement relationship during Maitland grades III and IV passive joint mobilization, although they confirmed an increase in ankle dorsiflexion ROM immediately after joint mobilization.

Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2008, 31(4), 285-292

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