Effects of Interventions to Increase Dorsiflexion on Muscle Strength and Dynamic Balance

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Purpose: This study examined the effects of interventions that increase ankle dorsiflexion on muscle contraction and dynamic balance.
Methods: Forty-five healthy adults (16 males, 29 females) were assigned randomly to three groups who performed foam roller massage (FM), static stretching (SS), or post-isometric relaxation (PIR). Before the intervention, the angle of ankle dorsiflexion in the lying position, weight-bearing lunge test (WBLT), and isometric muscle contraction force at neutral ankle position were measured using a push-pull dynamometer. The Star Excursion Balance test (SEBT) was performed as a Starmat to evaluate the dynamic balance. The above examinations were re-measured after the intervention. Repeated one-way ANOVA was used for statistical analysis, and the statistical significance was set at α=0.05.
Results: The general characteristics of the subjects (age, leg length) were similar in the three groups except for height. The results revealed significant differences in all measuring examinations among the FM, SS, and PIR groups (p<0.05). The post-hoc test showed that PIR was the most effective at a range of motion and WBLT. Stretching was the most effective method in the SEBT and strength.
Conclusion: Interventions that increase ankle dorsiflexion may positively affect dynamic balance, muscle contraction, and range of motion.