Therapeutic Efficiency of Gait and Mechanical Stretching in Lower Extremity Burns

Abstract

The problem of this study was to determine the influence of elongation of the gastrocnemius-soleus m.s by using of mechanical passive stretching or gait training in some cases of posterior leg burns on time /distance variables of gait and goniometric measurements of knee extension and ankle dorsiflexion.

The purposes of the study were to differentiate between two different approaches of treatment aiming to elongate soft tissues in posterior leg burns. The secondary aspect of the purpose was also to assess the variation in walking variables and to determine the relationship between knee impairments and walking efficiency.

Experimental procedures:

Gait characteristics and ROM measurements of thirty leg burnt volunteer patients who have second degree of thermal injury were studied to determine changes in walking efficiency following thermal injury of lower extremity (leg burns). The patients groups were randomly subdivided into 3 groups: