THE EFFECT OF CASTING COMBINED WITH STRETCHING ON PASSIVE ANKLE DORSIFLEXION IN ADULTS WITH TRAUMATIC HEAD-INJURIES

Background and Purpose. Ankle plantar-flexion contractures are a commo n problem following traumatic head injury. Although serial. casting is used to correct and prevent ankle plantar-flexion contractures, treat ment efficacy has not been evaluated using an experimental design, The aim of this research was to establish the effect of a regimen of cast ing combined with stretching on passive ankle dorsiflexion motion. Sub jects. Nine people who had sustained traumatic closed head injuries an d had limited dorsiflexion motion participated in the study. Methods. A crossover design was used in the study. Subjects were assigned to bo th experimental and control groups. Torque-controlled measurements of passive ankle dorsiflexion motion were obtained for all subjects befor e and after 1 week of casting combined with stretching, as well as bef ore and after a 1-week control period. The order of the experimental a nd control conditions was randomized. Results. Passive ankle dorsiflex ion increased by a mean of 13.5 degrees (SD = 9.3) during the experime ntal condition, as compared with a mean decrease of 1.9 degrees (SD = 10.2) during the control condition. The difference between the experim ental and control conditions was statistically significant. Conclusion and Discussion. These findings suggest that casting combined with str etching is an effective method Of correcting ankle plantar-flexion con tractures in patients with traumatic head injuries.