• Silva MC
• Ferreira AS
• Baldon RM
• Lins C
• de Andrade GM
• Pereira GBBC
• Silva NC
• Felício LR

• Mobilization, Joint
• Musculoskeletal Manipulations
• Postural Balance
• Range of Motion, Articular / physiology
• Young Adult

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of combined techniques on ROM, performance, and dynamic postural balance in young adults.

Methods: Sixty participants were recruited, with a mean age of 25.35 (±8.00) years and ankle dorsiflexion ROM below 40° in closed kinetic chain (CKC). The participants were randomly divided into 2 groups: Joint mobilization based on the Mulligan Concept (Group 1); Joint mobilization based on the Mulligan Concept, together with the Maitland Method (Group 2). The participants were evaluated preintervention (A0), immediately after the intervention (A1), and 3 to 4 days after the intervention (A2).

Primary outcome: DF ROM in CKC.

Secondary outcomes: ROM in open kinetic chain, performance, and balance.

Results: Group 2 presented superior performance in the Triple Hop Test in evaluations A1 (Cohen's d = 1.45) and A2 (Cohen's d = 1.21), and after the intervention (A2) showed greater displacement (Cohen's d = 3.22) in the Y Balance Test. Both groups showed increases of DF ROM in CKC and performance.

Conclusions: The combination of joint mobilization techniques can provide additional benefits in functional performance. Both techniques are effective for increasing ankle DF ROM.

Author keywords: Ankle; Dorsiflexion; Functional Performance; Joint Mobilization; Postural Control. 

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