Index to Chiropractic Literature
Index to Chiropractic Literature
My ICL     Sign In
Monday, October 27, 2025
Index to Chiropractic LiteratureIndex to Chiropractic LiteratureIndex to Chiropractic Literature
Share:

For best results switch to Advanced Search.
Article Detail
 Return to Search Results
Article ID
Title
URL http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=2647069&blobtype=pdf
Journal J Chiropr Med. 2006 Winter;5(4):123-127
Author(s)
Subject(s)
Peer Review Yes
Publication Type Controlled Clinical Trial
Abstract/Notes Introduction: Some practitioners believe mechanical low back pain may be caused or aggravated by a stiff ankle, stiff great toe or flat feet. This study investigates subjects with and without mechanical low back pain and measures ankle and great toe range of motion and flattening of the medial longitudinal arch in both groups.

Methods: The study was a blinded, 2-arm, nonrandomized clinical study involving 100 subjects with chronic or recurrent mechanical low back pain (intervention group) and 104 subjects without chronic mechanical low back pain (control group) between the ages of 18 and 45. A blind assessor performed weight-bearing goniometry of the ankle and big toe and the navicular drop test on all subjects in both groups.

Results: An independent t-test (inter-group) revealed a statistically significant decrease (p _ 0.05) in ankle dorsiflexion range of motion in individuals with chronic mechanical low back pain. The independent t-test suggested individuals with chronic mechanical low back pain have a significantly smaller navicular drop and higher arches (p _ 0.05).

Conclusion: This study supports previous reports suggesting decreased ankle dorsiflexion may be a factor in chronic mechanical low-back pain. Further research and replication of this study is necessary before firm conclusions or recommendations can be made.

First author: James W. Brantingham

This abstract is reproduced with the permission of the publisher; click on the above link for free full text.
      

Search Tips
  • Enclose phrases in "quotation marks".  Examples: "low back pain", "evidence-based"
  • Retrieve all forms of a word with an "asterisk*", also called a wildcard or truncation.  Example: "chiropract*" retrieves chiropractic, chiropractor, chiropractors
  • Register an account in My ICL to save search histories (My Searches) and collections of records (My Collections)
Advanced Search Tips