La. Harvey et al., A randomized trial assessing the effects of 4 weeks of daily stretching onankle mobility in patients with spinal cord injuries, ARCH PHYS M, 81(10), 2000, pp. 1340-1347
Objective: To determine the effect of 4 weeks of 30 minutes of daily stretc
hing on ankle mobility in patients with recent spinal cord injuries (SCIs).
Design: Assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial.
Setting: Two spinal injury units in Sydney, Australia.
Patients: Consecutive sample of 14 recently injured patients with paraplegi
a and quadriplegia.
Intervention: Treated ankles were stretched continuously into dorsiflexion
with a torque of 7.5N.m for 30 minutes each weekday for 4 weeks. Contralate
ral ankles received no stretches.
Main Outcome Measures: Passive torque-angle curves for both ankles were obt
ained at study commencement, then at weeks 2, 4, and 5 (ie, during, at the
end of, and 1 week after the stretching program). Torque-angle measurements
were obtained with the knee extended and flexed. Mean values for parameter
s (baseline angle, angle at 10N.m, slope) describing the characteristics of
the torque-angle curves were derived for each knee position. Changes from
pretest to each subsequent test were calculated, as well as 95% confidence
intervals (CIs) for differences in these changes between stretched and cont
rolled ankles.
Results: The stretching intervention did not significantly change any of th
e 3 parameters describing the torque-angle curves of the ankle in either kn
ee position. At the beginning of the study, the mean (+/-SD) angles obtaine
d with the application of a standardized torque with the knee extended for
the control and stretch ankles were 105 degrees (+/- 10.4 degrees) and 106
degrees (+/- 9.8 degrees), respectively. After 4 weeks, these values were 1
06 degrees (+/- 10.6 degrees) and 107 degrees (+/- 10.6 degrees) (mean diff
erence in change of angle = 0 degrees; 95% CI, -3.3 degrees to 3.30).
Conclusion: Thirty minutes of daily stretching for 4 weeks does not signifi
cantly change ankle mobility in recently injured patients with SCIs.