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The effect of calf muscle stretching exercises on ankle joint dorsiflexion and dynamic foot pressures, force and related temporal parameters.
Macklin K, Healy A, Chockalingam N.
Foot (Edinb). 2011 Sep 22. [Epub ahead of print]

 

Anyone find that somewhat counterintuitive?

 

Anyone have a copy of this? Be interested to know how they measured ankle joint dorsiflexion.

 

One would hope an ankle lunge test?

 

They measured Ankle dorsiflexion with a plastic full circle goinometer and thought that the increase in forefoot pressure may be due to the reintrodution of the windlass mechanism , just come across paper looking for something else
Tim

 

Thanks Tim - I'd love a copy if you wouldn't mind: ian@sportspodiatryinfo.co.uk

 

Thanks for the paper Tim.

Only briefly skimmed it, but no sign of any reliability data for the measurer/s who took the goniometer readings...

 

Pity they did not use this bad boy - Stiffness and ROM

A New Device for Assessing Ankle Dorsiflexion Motion: Reliability and Validity

 

I was surprised by the increase in peak plantar pressures. I expected no change even with an increase in range of motion. Shifting weight onto the forefoot is caused by active contraction of the muscle and not at it's passive "end of range of motion".

This illustrates one of the problems I have with looking at joint stiffness. Muscle activity alters joint stiffness. When you measure stiffness, how do you account for the variability of the stiffness of the muscle. Stiffness is still a better term than hypermobility though.

Eric

 

CONCLUSION:
The calf stretching programme used in this study was found to increase ankle joint dorsiflexion and hence can be used for first line conservative management of ankle equinus.



No it can't. , Well yes it can, but the Paper doesn't prove that. Had they added "(in the 13 subjects we tested)" the conclusion would have been more accurate.
13 subjects is a very small cohort;);)