Background: Patients with stroke have limited ankle range of motion (ROM) due to soft tissue abnormalities around the ankle and thus experience functional impairment. Increased muscle tension and reduced ankle ROM impair gait and hinder the activities of daily living. Joint mobilization and stretching are effective interventions that improve gait performance by enhancing the ankle ROM.
Objectives: To investigate the effects of ankle joint mobilization and calf muscle stretching on gait speed and gait performance in patients with stroke.
Design: This was a randomized controlled trial.
Methods: Twenty patients with stroke patients were randomized into two groups. The joint mobilization group (JMG) underwent anteroposterior mobilization of the talocrural joint and the joint mobilization stretching group (JMSG) underwent calf muscle stretching in addition to joint mobilization. Gait speed and gait parameters were measured using the 10-meter walk test and the GAITRite.
Results: Both the JMG and JMSG groups showed significant improvements in gait speed, affected-side step length, and cadence after the intervention (P<.05).
Conclusion: Joint mobilization and stretching were effective interventions for improving gait performance by enhancing ankle function in patients with stroke.

INTRODUCTION
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
    Subjects
    Measurement Instruments
    Interventions
    Data Analysis
RESULTS
    Changes in the groups after intervention
    Changes between the groups after intervention
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES

• Junhyeok Go(Department of Physical Therapy, Kyungbok University)
• Hojung An(Department of Physical Therapy, Dongnam University) Correspondence