Four Week Training of Ankle Mobilization with Movement versus Static Muscle Stretching in Patients with Chronic Stroke

A total of twenty patients with stroke from Kyong-in Hospital, Incheon, volunteered to participate in this study. A randomized controlled trial design was used and participants were divided into the mobilization with movement (n = 10) and static muscle stretching groups (n = 10). There were no subjects who were excluded during the experiment. There were eight males and twelve females, enrolled in this study. Mobilization with movement group subjects were a mean 57.4 years of age, 167.8 cm in height, and 65.9 kg in weight. Static muscle stretching group subjects were a mean 60.3 years of age, 162.3 cm in height, and 63.7 kg in weight. There was no significant adverse reaction occurring during the study. After 4 weeks of training, in both groups, the modified Ashworth scale scores were significantly lower after treatment compared to the baseline scores (P < 0.05), did not differ significantly between the groups (P = 0.39). Ankle dorsiflexion passive range of motion did not differ significantly between the groups (P = 0.38). However, in both groups, the ankle dorsiflexion passive range of motion values were significantly higher after treatment than the baseline values (P < 0.001). The post-treatment static balance ability was significantly lower in the mobilization with movement group than the static muscle stretching group (P = 0.005), and it reduced significantly after treatment compared to the baseline only in the MWM group (P = 0.002). The post-treatment Berg balance scale score was significantly higher in the mobilization with movement group than the static muscle stretching group (P = 0.002), and Berg balance scale scores increased significantly after treatment in both groups compared to the baseline values (P < 0.001) Gait speed did not differ significantly between the groups (P = 0.29), but it was significantly higher after treatment compared to the baseline in both groups (P < 0.001). Cadence was significantly higher in the MWM group than in the SMS group (P = 0.49), and in both groups, it increased significantly after treatment compared to the baseline (P < 0.05). Affected side step length was not significantly different between the groups (P = 0.38). However, it increased significantly after treatment compared to the baseline only in the MWM group (P = 0.007). Affected side stride length did not significantly differ between the groups (P = 0.91), but it increased significantly after treatment compared to the baseline only in the MWM group (P = 0.001) The Korean version of the modified Barthel index scores did not significantly differ between the groups (P = 1.00), but they increased significantly after treatment compared to the baseline in both groups (P < 0.001) This study demonstrates that MWM training is beneficial for improving motor development. Thus, mobilization with movement may be an effective treatment for chronic stroke patients.