The effects of posterior talar glide with dorsiflexion of the ankle on mobility, muscle strength and balance in stroke patients: a randomised controlled trial.
Jin Lee, Ju-O Kim, Byoung-Hee Lee
PMID 28356629WHAT IT FOUND
Adding posterior talar glide mobilization to standard therapy improved ankle range of motion and balance in stroke patients more than standard therapy alone.
The added manual technique led to greater gains in dorsiflexion and functional reach compared to weight-bearing exercises.
Key findings
01The experimental group showed significant improvements in passive dorsiflexion range of motion, functional reach, time up and go, and functional gait assessment compared to the control group.
02Ankle dorsiflexor muscle strength improved significantly within the experimental group, but there was no significant difference in muscle strength change between the two groups.
03The control group also improved in balance measures, but the experimental group showed significantly greater improvement in functional reach, time up and go, and functional gait assessment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study did not blind participants or assessors to the treatment allocation, which could influence subjective outcome measures like muscle strength testing. The control group performed weight-bearing exercises, so the effect of the specific manual glide component versus the active movement component is not fully isolated. The sample size was small (34 patients), and the study population was restricted to those with mild-to-moderate motor recovery (Brünnstrom stages 2-4) and good cognitive function.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest were reported by the authors or individuals in control of the content.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that this manual technique is superior to all other forms of mobilization or that it will significantly increase muscle strength compared to active exercise alone. The study showed better balance and range of motion outcomes, but muscle strength gains were not significantly different between the groups.