Citation

Calvo-Lobo C, Painceira-Villar R, García-Paz V, Becerro-de-Bengoa-Vallejo R, Losa-Iglesias ME, Munuera-Martínez PV, López-López D. Int. J. Med. Sci. 2019; 16(4): 607-613.

Affiliation

Research, Health and Podiatry Unit. Department of Health Sciences. Faculty of Nursing and Podiatry. Universidade da Coruña, Spain.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Ivyspring International Publisher)

DOI

10.7150/ijms.32105

PMID

31171913

PMCID

PMC6535651

Abstract

Purpose: Based on the possible association between reduced foot dorsiflexion and high risk of falls, the main objective was to determine the ankle and 1º metatarsophalangeal joint (1^stMTTP) dorsiflexion range of motion and falls rate in patients with asthma compared to healthy matched-paired controls. Methods: A case-control study was carried out. Eighty participants were recruited and divided into patients with asthma (case group; n=40) and matched-paired healthy participants (control group; n=40). Foot dorsal flexion range of motion (assessed by the Weight-Bearing Lunge Test [WBLT]) and falls rate (evaluated as falls number during the prior year) were considered as the primary outcomes. Indeed, ankle dorsiflexion was measured by a mobile app (º) and a tape measure (cm) as well as 1^stMTTP dorsiflexion was determined by and universal goniometer (º). Results: Statistically significant differences (P<.05) showed that patients with asthma presented a greater falls rate than healthy participants and reduced bilateral ankle and 1^stMTTP dorsiflexion ranges of motion than healthy participants, except for the left ankle dorsiflexion measured as degrees (P>.05). Conclusions: These study findings showed that a falls rate increase and bilateral foot dorsal flexion limitations of the ankle and 1^stMTTP joints are exhibited in patients who suffer from asthma.

Language: en

Keywords

accidental falls; ankle joint; articular; asthma; hallux; range of motion; spirometry