Effectiveness of a Therapeutic Exercise Protocol Vs a Mobilisation with Movement Protocol in Improving Ankle Dorsiflexion in Amateur Football Players

The MTG group received an intervention based on anterior-posterior mobilizations of the talus and fibula and taping, both based on Mulligan® techniques Individually, participants received Grade IV passive mobilizations lasting approximately 30 seconds, totalling 12 active mobilizations performed by the participant. Furthermore, a tape was applied, placed on the anterior part of the talus with a posterior and caudal direction, with its ends anchored near the heel. Due to its placement, this taping maintained a sustained posterior force on the talus throughout the training session. This intervention was conducted on the affected limb(s) with DF deficits.

Therapeutic exercise protocol lasting approximately 5-10 minutes, performed before regular training sessions. It included 2 exercises, each performed in 3 sets of 10 repetitions with 1-minute rest intervals.

Exercise 1: Weighted DF in a kneeling position. From this position, ankle DF is performed with the front leg, on which the weight of the arms and the torso is placed to force the movement.

Exercise 2: Ankle lunge with band resistance at the ankle. The player performs ankle DF with a medium-resistance green Theraband® providing a posterior force vector on the talus.

This intervention was applied to the affected limb(s) with ankle DF limitations and was supervised by a physiotherapist. It was performed before training session at each club's facilities.

The Control group received no specific treatment; they only participated in the current training sessions.