Torque Measures of Common Therapies for the Treatment of Flexion Contractures

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12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Efficacy of knee flexion contracture treatment protocols is dependent on the torque applied to the joint, but to date, no published reports have evaluated the torque applied by the available treatment options. The purpose of this study was to measure the torque applied by physical therapists (PTs), home exercises, and mechanical therapy devices. An instrumented test leg recorded peak torque applied by 14 PTs performing knee extension mobilization, 2 home exercises, and 3 types of mechanical therapy (dynamic splint, static progressive stretch, and patient-actuated serial stretch). Physical therapists applied 68.0 N m, patient-actuated serial stretch mechanical therapy applied 53.0 N m, and the other therapies ranged between 4.6 and 12.4 N m. The reported torque values can be used to help improve the efficacy of flexion contracture treatment protocols.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)328-334
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Arthroplasty
Volume26
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2011

Keywords

  • Extension loss
  • Flexion contracture
  • Home exercise
  • Manual therapy
  • Mechanical therapy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

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