Does the Addition of Manual Therapy Techniques Increase Gastrocnemius/Soleus Length More Than Stretching Alone?

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Muscle Tightness

In brief

This study will examine the short term effects of adding manual therapy techniques to static stretching in Dorsiflexion (DF) Range of Motion (ROM). The investigators will be studying 2 forms of manual therapy, a rear-foot thrust joint mobilization (TJM), and Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM). By comparing 3 groups: TJM+static stretching versus IASTM + static stretching versus static stretching alone the investigators wish to see if there are any short term benefits in DF ROM by adding either of these interventions to static stretching. The manual therapy treatment will occur over 2 sessions and DF ROM measurements will be taken 4 times over a 2 week period. The population that the investigators wish to examine are subjects with healthy feet and ankles, but with limited DF ROM. The primary objective of this study is to see if subjects with decreased dorsiflexion motion will experience greater increases in dorsiflexion motion with the addition of manual therapy of static stretching alone. Our hypothesis is subjects who receive manual therapy therapy and static stretching will experience a significant increase in DF ROM as compared to subjects who receive static stretching alone. More specifically subjects who are treated with the IASTM will experience greater results than subjects who are treated with the rear-foot thrust mobilization.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT01856972

Run by

Nationwide Children's Hospital

People needed

20

Starts

2013-05-01

Expected to finish

2014-06-01

Last updated by the study team

2014-06-11

Who can join

Age: 12 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• healthy feet and ankles must have limited dorsiflexion ROM. Limited dorsiflexion will be judged by patient having <12 degrees of DF PROM with knee extended, or <50 degrees of weight bearing DF ROM with the knee flexed.

You may not qualify if…

• inability to fully weight bear through their lower extremities
• have <0-90 degrees of ROM in their knees
• inability to follow directions
• presence of a Lower Extremity fracture
• pregnant or nursing

Where it is running

• Nationwide Children's Hospital Sports and Orthopedic PT East Broad St location — Columbus, Ohio, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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