Comparison of the acute effects of different stretching techniques on ankle joint range of motion in healthy older people

Objective: To compare the acute effects of different stretching methods on ankle joint range of motion (ROM) in the elderly Methds: A total of 78 subjects aged 65 years and older were randomly divided into three groups. After the 5-minute walk, the chosen method was applied. Static Stretching Group; static stretching in 3x30sec, PNF Stretching Group; PNF contract relax in 3x30sec and Roller Massage Group; roller massage in 3x30sec was performed. Immediately after the application, 10 minutes and 20 minutes after application, ROM of the ankle joint was measured in weigh-bearing lunge position. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of demographic characteristics and baseline ankle ROM (p> 0.05). In all groups, post-application measurements revealed an increase in ankle joint motion (p <0.05). When the groups were compared, there was a statistically significant difference between the three groups (p <0.05). There was no significant difference in change of ROM between the Static Stretching Group and PNF Stretching Group in change of ROM group comparisons (p> 0.0167). There was a statistically significant difference of ROM changes Roller Massage Group and both Static Stretching and the PNF Stretching Group (p <0.0167). Conclusion: Acute effects of roller massage application, which was used for the first time in the elderly, on ankle ROM were superior to static stretching and PNF stretching techniques. It has been shown that the application of roller massage, which was shown to be an effective method for increasing ROM, can be safely applied in physiotherapy programs for the elderly. Key words: Elderly, ankle joint range of motion, roller massage, static stretching, PNF stretching