%D 2001 %0 ARTICLE %T A randomized controlled trial of a passive accessory joint mobilization on acute ankle inversion sprains . %J %V 81 ( 4 ) %P 984-94 %A Green T %A Refshauge K %A Crosbie J %A Adams R %M pub11276181 %X BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE : Passive joint mobilization is commonly used by physical therapists as an intervention for acute ankle inversion sprains . A randomized controlled trial with blinded assessors was conducted to investigate the effect of a specific joint mobilization , the anteroposterior glide on the talus , on increasing pain-free dorsiflexion and 3 gait variables : stride speed ( gait speed ) , step length , and single support time . SUBJECTS : Forty-one subjects with acute ankle inversion sprains ( <72 hours ) and no other injury to the lower limb entered the trial METHODS : Subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups . The control group received a protocol of rest , ice , compression , and elevation ( RICE ) . The experimental group received the anteroposterior mobilization , using a force that avoided incurring any increase in pain , in addition to the RICE protocol . Subjects in both groups were treated every second day for a maximum of 2 weeks or until the discharge criteria were met , and all subjects were given a home program of continued RICE application . Outcomes were measured before and after each treatment . RESULTS : The results showed that the experimental group required fewer treatment sessions than the control group to achieve full pain-free dorsiflexion . The experimental group had greater improvement in range of movement before and after each of the first 3 treatment sessions . The experimental group also had greater increases in stride speed during the first and third treatment sessions . DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Addition of a talocrural mobilization to the RICE protocol in the management of ankle inversion injuries necessitated fewer treatments to achieve pain-free dorsiflexion and to improve stride speed more than RICE alone . Improvement in step length symmetry and single support time was similar in both groups .