Journal article
Foot to shank ratio: does it influence ankle dorsiflexion range of motion in the knee-to-wall assessment technique?
New Zealand Journal of Sports Medicine, Vol.44(2), pp.65-69
2017
Abstract
Aim: To establish the correlation between scores of ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (DROM) when assessed using a knee-towall assessment score and standard extendable joint goniometer.
Study Design: Foot to shank ratio influence was assessed on two separate occasions by the same rater using two measures of ankle DROM ie, i) the knee-to-wall assessment linear score, and ii) the joint angle recorded with a standard extendable joint goniometer.
Participants: Nine females and six males (combined mean age = 26.5 ± 6.2 yr; range = 19-37 years, height = 1.73 ± 0.85 m, mass = 76.5 ± 18.6 kg) volunteered to participate in this study.
Methods: Foot and shank length was determined prior to assessment of ankle DROM. Following a standardised warm-up, ankle DROM was assessed using two methods: i) knee-to-wall method; ii) and standard extendable joint goniometer. Measures were taken twice with each technique and on two separate occasions. Measurement of ankle DROM alternated between each ankle (ie, one measurement taken on the right ankle followed by one measurement on the left ankle and then repeated), with the first measure on both test occasions being the knee-to-wall assessment.
Results: A significant positive correlation was found between foot length and shank length for both right (p < 0.001, r = .877) and left (p < 0.001, r = .880) side. No other significant correlations were found between all other variables (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Findings indicate that neither the length of the foot nor the length of the shank influences ankle joint mobility. Further, their relative lengths, as determined by a foot-to-shank length ratio, had no impact on ankle DROM when measured using the knee-to-wall assessment method. As a result, either assessment method can be used with confidence by clinicians and sports trainers to determine ankle DROM.
Details
- Title
- Foot to shank ratio: does it influence ankle dorsiflexion range of motion in the knee-to-wall assessment technique?
- Authors
- Rudi Meir (Author) - Southern Cross UniversityZachary Crowley-McHattan (Author) - Southern Cross UniversityJohn Whitting (Author) - Southern Cross UniversitySonja Coetzee (Author) - Southern Cross University
- Publication details
- New Zealand Journal of Sports Medicine, Vol.44(2), pp.65-69
- Publisher
- Sports Medicine New Zealand, Inc.
- ISSN
- 1175-6063
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy; School of Health and Sport Sciences - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health - Sports & Exercise Science
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99521807602621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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