CMT Night splinting does not increase ankle range of motion: randomised, cross-o

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Aust J Physiother. 2006;52(3):193-9.

Night splinting does not increase ankle range of motion in people

with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: A randomised, cross-over trial.

Refshauge KM, J, Nicholson G, van den Dolder PA.

School of Physiotherapy, The University of Sydney, Lidcombe, NSW,

Australia.

Question: What is the effect of wearing splints at night to stretch

the plantarflexors on dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM) in people

with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease?

Design: Randomised, assessor-blinded, cross-over trial.

Participants: 14 people (1 dropout) aged 7 to 30 years with Charcot-

Marie-Tooth disease Type 1A and with </= 15 degrees dorsiflexion

range of motion (ROM).

Intervention: A splint holding the ankle in maximum dorsiflexion was

worn nightly on one leg for 6 weeks followed by the opposite leg for

the subsequent 6 weeks. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was

dorsiflexion ROM; secondary outcomes were eversion ROM, and

dorsiflexion, eversion, and inversion strength, measured before and

after splinting, and three months later.

Results: There was no significant difference between the experimental

and the control intervention in terms of ROM or strength. Wearing the

splint at night increased dorsiflexion ROM by 1 degree (95% CI -3 to

4; p = 0.72) and eversion ROM by 1 degree (95% CI -1 to 3; p = 0.28)

compared to not wearing the splint. Wearing the splint increased

dorsiflexion strength by 41 N (95% CI -53 to 135; p = 0.38), reduced

eversion strength by 6 N (95% CI -112 to 101; p = 0.92) and reduced

inversion strength by 8 N (95% CI -110 to 95; p = 0.88) compared to

not wearing the splint.

Conclusion: Wearing night splints does not increase ankle ROM or

strength in people with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease Type 1A.