The infl uence of osteopathic correction on the restoration of the functions of the ankle joint with partial damage of its ligaments

Abstract

Introduction. In recent times there has been is a signifi cant increase in the level of injuries. According to the national and foreign authors, every year up to 20 % of patients coming to the trauma center are patients with injuries of the ankle joint. Among the injuries of the soft tissue structures of the ankle joint, isolated injuries of the capsular ligamentous apparatus, merit the most attention. They present up to 70–75 % of all ankle joint traumas. Traumas of the soft tissue structures of the ankle region often have serious consequences, such as chronic instability of the ankle joint, formation of periarticular pathologic ossifi cation, chondral bodies. Osteopathic techniques can help to reach more complete restoration of the functions of the limbs in rehabilitation of patients with lower limb injuries.Goal of the study — to justify the necessity of use of osteopathic methods in complex treatment of patients with injuries of the capsular ligamentous apparatus of the ankle joint.Materials and methods. The results of treatment of 30 female patients aged from 50 to 60 years with acute partial injuries of the capsular ligamentous apparatus of the ankle joint of the I and II degrees were examined. All patients were divided into two equal groups regardless of gender, age, severity and nature of injury by random sampling: the main group (n=15), who received osteopathic correction against the background of standard treatment and the control group (n=15) who received standard treatment only. During the treatment the range of movements in the foot was assessed by the amplitude of fl exion, extension, pronation, and supination in all the patients, with the use of the goniometer. Additionally, the length of the ankle circumference was measured. The intensity of the pain syndrome was also assessed in points with the help of the visual analogue scale (VAS). Examination of patients was carried out in 1–2 days after the removal of the gypsum bandage and in 6 weeks after the removal of the gypsum bandage.Results. After the treatment all the patients presented a decrease in the circumference of the ankle joint, an increase in the amplitude of fl exion, extension, pronation, and supination. At the same time, after the osteopathic correction, the volume of movements was signifi cantly higher than after the standard treatment. The study of the subjective perception of pain has allowed to establish almost complete recovery of comfortable movements in the ankle joint by the end of the treatment in patients who underwent osteopathic correction.Conclusion. Methods of osteopathic correction in treatment of patients with partial injuries of the capsular ligamentous apparatus of the ankle joint allow to reach the restoration of joint functions in a larger volume than standard methods of treatment.