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Asymmetry of the active nonweightbearing foot and ankle range of motion for dorsiflexion‐plantar flexion and its coupled movements in adults
Author(s) -
Ferrario Virgilio F.,
Turci Michela,
Lovecchio Nicola,
Shirai Yuri F.,
Sforza Chiarella
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
clinical anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1098-2353
pISSN - 0897-3806
DOI - 10.1002/ca.20512
Subject(s) - medicine , plantar flexion , ankle dorsiflexion , foot (prosody) , ankle , physical medicine and rehabilitation , range of motion , asymmetry , anatomy , physical therapy , physics , quantum mechanics , philosophy , linguistics
Asymmetries in ankle range of motion (ROM) have been reported, but often the uninvolved limb is used as a reference in clinical practice. The study wanted to quantify the intraindividual asymmetries in dorsi‐plantar flexion foot and ankle ROM and its coupled foot movements. Active triplanar nonweightbearing ROM of the foot and ankle was recorded in young healthy adults (30 male volunteers, mean age 22.8 years; 35 female volunteers, mean age 23.8 years) using an optoelectronic set‐up. The sagittal plane movement (mean ROM female subjects right side 71.3°, left side 71.4°, P > 0.05; mean ROM male subjects right side 69°, left side 68.9°, P > 0.05; sex difference, P < 0.001) was coupled with frontal (mean ROM female subjects right side 16.6°, left side 14.8°, P > 0.05; male subjects right side 17°, left side 15.3°; P > 0.05; no sex difference) and horizontal (mean ROM female subjects right side 19.6°, left side 18.8°, P < 0.001; male subjects right side 17.6°, left side 16.2°, P < 0.001; sex < 0.001) plane motions. Individual fluctuating asymmetries up to 15° (principal movement), and up to 29° (associated movements) were measured. Overall, 20% of female and 34% of male subjects had principal plane asymmetries >5°, and 50% of the subjects had asymmetries >5° in the associated movements. In young adults, individual asymmetries in ankle joint complex dorsi‐plantar flexion should be taken into account when using the uninvolved, contralateral limb as a reference for clinical examination. Clin. Anat. 20:834–842, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.