The effects of ankle mobilization and active stretching on the difference of weight-bearing distribution, low back pain and flexibility in pronated-foots subjects

The purpose of this study was designed to analyze the effects mobilization and active stretching on the difference of weight-bearing distribution, low back pain, and flexibility in pronated-foot subjects. The subjects of this study were 16 chronic low back pain patients. They were randomly divided into the control and experimental group. The experimental group had used the model of ankle mobilization and calf muscle active stretching three times per week, for 4 weeks. The control group did same method without an ankle mobilization. The range of flexion and extension motion of the lumbar vertebrae and low back pain degree and difference of weight-bearing were measured before and after the experiment. The model of ankle mobilization and calf muscle stretching of pronated-foot significantly improved the range of flexion and extension motion of the vertebrae. And the visual analogue scale and distribution of weight-bearing were decreased in both of two groups. In other word, the exercise of this study showed that the model of ankle mobilization and calf muscle stretching of pronated-foot had positive effects on improving the range of flexion and extension motion of the vertebrae. The calf muscle stretching was easy and it is effective in therapy that patients by themselves and helped to recover the balance of the vertebrae to combine ankle mobilization and muscle stretching.