Effect of local vibration intervention on plantar flexor muscles for range of motion during the immobilization period in postoperative ankle fracture patients.

Abstract

Following ankle fracture surgery, the ankle joint is typically immobilized using a splint. This immobilization often results in a restricted range of motion (ROM), particularly in dorsiflexion (DF), upon removal of the fixation. Local vibration therapy applied to the exposed plantar flexor muscles may help mitigate ROM limitations. This study aimed to evaluate whether a 3-min daily local vibration intervention applied during splint immobilization could improve ankle joint ROM after fixation removal in postoperative ankle fracture patients. This study is a historical control study. This study included 59 patients who underwent osteosynthesis for ankle fractures at our hospital. The control group (n = 32) received standard physical therapy between January 2015 and February 2022. The vibration group (n = 27) received the same physical therapy plus a 3-min daily local vibration intervention applied to the exposed plantar flexor muscles at the anterior aspect of the splint, between October 2022 and December 2024. After fixation removal, ROM in both plantarflexion (PF) and DF was measured on the injured and noninjured sides. On the injured side, both DF and PF ROM were significantly greater in the vibration group than in the control group (DF: p = 0.030; PF: p = 0.023). No significant differences were observed between groups on the noninjured side (DF: p = 0.251; PF: p = 0.093). A daily 3-min local vibration intervention applied to the plantar flexor muscles during the immobilization period significantly reduced postoperative ROM limitations in the injured ankle.