Effectiveness of a Therapeutic Exercise Protocol Vs a Mobilisation with Movement Protocol in Improving Ankle Dorsiflexion in Amateur Football Players

NCT ID: NCT06771089

Last Updated: 2025-01-13

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 44 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-12-01
• Study Completion Date: 2024-03-02

Brief Summary

Objective: To evaluate and compare the immediate and short-term effectiveness of a therapeutic exercise protocol and a mobilisation with movement protocol, compared with a control group, in improving ankle dorsiflexion in amateur footballers.

Material and methods: A single-blind randomised controlled pilot study was developed. Participants were amateur football players randomized into 3 groups (therapeutic exercise, mobilization with movement and control). The intervention was carried out with 2 weekly sessions for 4 weeks. Assessment tools included the Ankle Lunge Test and the Single Leg Squat.

Conditions

Ankle Dorsiflexion

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Manual therapy group (MTG)

The MTG group received an intervention based on anterior-posterior mobilizations of the talus and fibula and taping, both based on Mulligan® techniques.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Manual therapy and bandaging

Intervention Type: OTHER

The MTG group received an intervention based on anterior-posterior mobilizations of the talus and fibula and taping, both based on Mulligan® techniques Individually, participants received Grade IV passive mobilizations lasting approximately 30 seconds, totalling 12 active mobilizations performed by the participant. Furthermore, a tape was applied, placed on the anterior part of the talus with a posterior and caudal direction, with its ends anchored near the heel. Due to its placement, this taping maintained a sustained posterior force on the talus throughout the training session. This intervention was conducted on the affected limb(s) with DF deficits.

Therapeutic exercise group (EG)

The EG group underwent a therapeutic exercise protocol lasting approximately 5-10 minutes, performed before regular training sessions.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Therapeutic exercise

Intervention Type: OTHER

Therapeutic exercise protocol lasting approximately 5-10 minutes, performed before regular training sessions. It included 2 exercises, each performed in 3 sets of 10 repetitions with 1-minute rest intervals.

Exercise 1: Weighted DF in a kneeling position. From this position, ankle DF is performed with the front leg, on which the weight of the arms and the torso is placed to force the movement.

Exercise 2: Ankle lunge with band resistance at the ankle. The player performs ankle DF with a medium-resistance green Theraband® providing a posterior force vector on the talus.

This intervention was applied to the affected limb(s) with ankle DF limitations and was supervised by a physiotherapist. It was performed before training session at each club's facilities.

Control group (CG)

The CG group received no specific treatment; they only participated in the current training sessions.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

No specific treatment

Intervention Type: OTHER

The Control group received no specific treatment; they only participated in the current training sessions.

Interventions

Manual therapy and bandaging

The MTG group received an intervention based on anterior-posterior mobilizations of the talus and fibula and taping, both based on Mulligan® techniques Individually, participants received Grade IV passive mobilizations lasting approximately 30 seconds, totalling 12 active mobilizations performed by the participant. Furthermore, a tape was applied, placed on the anterior part of the talus with a posterior and caudal direction, with its ends anchored near the heel. Due to its placement, this taping maintained a sustained posterior force on the talus throughout the training session. This intervention was conducted on the affected limb(s) with DF deficits.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Therapeutic exercise

Therapeutic exercise protocol lasting approximately 5-10 minutes, performed before regular training sessions. It included 2 exercises, each performed in 3 sets of 10 repetitions with 1-minute rest intervals.

Exercise 1: Weighted DF in a kneeling position. From this position, ankle DF is performed with the front leg, on which the weight of the arms and the torso is placed to force the movement.

Exercise 2: Ankle lunge with band resistance at the ankle. The player performs ankle DF with a medium-resistance green Theraband® providing a posterior force vector on the talus.

This intervention was applied to the affected limb(s) with ankle DF limitations and was supervised by a physiotherapist. It was performed before training session at each club's facilities.

Intervention Type: OTHER

No specific treatment

The Control group received no specific treatment; they only participated in the current training sessions.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Football players over 18 years old who train a minimum of 3 days a week.
• Football players with ankle DF less than 9 cm or a difference greater than 1.5 cm between both feet, measured with the Ankle Lunge Test (ALT) using the LegMOtion© device.

Exclusion Criteria

• Players who, during the ALT, achieve less than 9 cm or a difference greater than 1.5 cm between both feet but reporting limitation due to tension in the gastrocnemius muscle.
• Those with serious traumatic or rheumatological conditions that may interfere with the study.
• Players who have participated in specific programs to improve ankle DF in the last 3 months.
• Players with a history of ankle-foot surgery within the last 6 months.
• Non-registered players training in those clubs.
• Players unable to arrive 20 minutes prior to the beginning of the training session.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: MALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Iris Machado de Oliveira

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Aldara Vázquez Méndez

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Adrian Eiró Fernández

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Vigo

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Irimia Mollinedo Cardalda

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

University of Vigo

Pontevedra, Pontevedra, Spain

Countries

Spain

Other Identifiers

205-2024-1

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id