The immediate effects of manual therapy on dorsiflexion and joint position sense at the talocrural joint in participants with a history of lateral ankle sprain

Abstract

The purpose of this literature review is to explore the literature pertaining to normal ankle function, ankle dysfunction and lateral ankle sprains to provide a theoretical background for further study. Firstly the literature review introduces manual therapy; gives a brief overview of normal ankle anatomy and function, and then describes proprioception and joint position sense (JPS). The following section addresses the topics of ankle injury, ankle dysfunction and lateral ankle sprains. The review then evaluates the methodological approaches used to assess both dorsiflexion (DF) range of motion (ROM) and joint position sense (JPS) at the ankle. The final section includes a critical appraisal of studies concerning the effects of manual therapy on DF and JPS on participants with a history of lateral ankle sprain.