title: Therapeutic interventions for increasing ankle dorsiflexion after ankle sprain: a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinicians perform therapeutic interventions, such as stretching, manual therapy, electrotherapy, ultrasound, and exercises, to increase ankle dorsiflexion. However, authors of previous studies have not determined which intervention or combination of interventions is most effective.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the magnitude of therapeutic intervention effects on and the most effective therapeutic interventions for restoring normal ankle dorsiflexion after ankle sprain.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a comprehensive literature search in Web of Science and EBSCO HOST from 1965 to May 29, 2011, with 19 search terms related to ankle sprain, dorsiflexion, and intervention and by cross-referencing pertinent articles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible studies had to be written in English and include the means and standard deviations of both pretreatment and posttreatment in patients with acute, subacute, or chronic ankle sprains. Outcomes of interest included various joint mobilizations, stretching, local vibration, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, electrical stimulation, and mental-relaxation interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We extracted data on dorsiflexion improvements among various therapeutic applications by calculating Cohen d effect sizes with associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and evaluated the methodologic quality using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 9 studies (PEDro score = 5.22 ± 1.92) met the inclusion criteria. Static-stretching interventions with a home exercise program had the strongest effects on increasing dorsiflexion in patients 2 weeks after acute ankle sprains (Cohen d = 1.06; 95% CI = 0.12, 2.42). The range of effect sizes for movement with mobilization on ankle dorsiflexion among individuals with recurrent ankle sprains was small (Cohen d range = 0.14 to 0.39).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Static-stretching intervention as a part of standardized care yielded the strongest effects on dorsiflexion after acute ankle sprains. The existing evidence suggests that clinicians need to consider what may be the limiting factor of ankle dorsiflexion to select the most appropriate treatments and interventions. Investigators should examine the relationship between improvements in dorsiflexion and patient progress using measures of patient self-reported functional outcome after therapeutic interventions to determine the most appropriate forms of therapeutic interventions to address ankle-dorsiflexion limitation.
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Health and Movement Science Laboratory, University of Toledo, OH.
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terada
authors.forename: Brian G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Pietrosimone
authors.forename: Phillip A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Gribble
mesh_terms: D000842:Ankle / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000628:therapy; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*
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