MASSAGE AND MOBILIZATION OF THE FEET AND ANKLES IN ELDERLY ADULTS: EFFECT ON CLINICAL BALANCE PERFORMANCE

Jacques Vaillant (1) , Audrey Rouland (2) , Pascale Martigné (2) , Renaud Braujou (2) , Michael J. Nissen (3) , Jean-Louis Caillat-Miousse (2) , Nicolas Vuillerme (4) , Vincent Nougier (4) , Robert Juvin (3)

1 SPM
2 CRIK3 - Centre de Recherche et d'Innovation en Kinésiologie, Kinésiopathologie et Kinésithérapie
3 Service de Rhumatologie
4 TIMC-IMAG-SPM - Santé, Plasticité, Motricité

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a session of plantar massage and joint mobilization of the feet and ankles on clinical balance performance in elderly people. A randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial was used to examine the immediate effects of manual massage and mobilization of the feet and ankles. Twenty-eight subjects, aged from 65 to 95 years (78.8±8.5 years - mean±SD) were recruited from community nursing homes. Main outcome measures were the performances in three tests: One Leg Balance (OLB) test, Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and Lateral Reach (LR) test. Results demonstrated a significant improvement after massage and mobilization compared with placebo for the OLB test (1.1±1.7 seconds versus 0.4±1.2 seconds, p<0.01) and the TUG test (0.92.6 seconds versus 0.21.2 seconds, p<0.05). Conversely, performances in the LR test did not improve significantly. These results emphasise the positive impact of a single session of manual therapy applied to the feet and ankles on balance in elderly subjects.

Domaines: Rhumatologie et système ostéo-articulaire; Sciences cognitives

Jacques Vaillant, Audrey Rouland, Pascale Martigné, Renaud Braujou, Michael J. Nissen, et al.. MASSAGE AND MOBILIZATION OF THE FEET AND ANKLES IN ELDERLY ADULTS: EFFECT ON CLINICAL BALANCE PERFORMANCE. Manual Therapy, 2009, 14 (6), pp.661-664. ⟨10.1016/j.math.2009.03.004⟩. ⟨hal-00391434⟩