Fibular Glide Mobilization With Movement for the Treatment of Acute Lateral Ankle Sprains: A Critically Appraised Topic

What are the effects of the Mulligan Concept™ posterior fibular mobilization with 4 movement (MWM) on clinical outcomes in patients who sustain an acute lateral ankle sprain 5 (LAS)? The evidence reviewed was level C–Recommendation based on “consensus, usual 6 practice, opinion, disease-oriented evidence, or case series for studies of diagnosis, treatment, 7 prevention or screening.” In the studies examined, patients who received Mulligan Concept™ 8 posterior fibular mobilizations in combination with other treatments significantly improved 9 (Minimal Clinically Important Difference met) on the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and 10 Disablement of Physically Active (DPA) scale. All patients in the studies were discharged within 11 2-18 days. However, due to the low level of evidence and the use of traditional conservative 12 treatments in conjunction with mobilization, it is difficult to ascertain whether the Mulligan LAS 13 treatment aided recovery more than traditional methods of treating acute LAS. Therefore, 14 Mulligan Concept™ posterior fibular MWM may be useful clinically in conjunction with 15 traditional conservative treatments for reduction of pain, disability and discharge time for 16 patients with acute LAS, but future research must be conducted to determine if MWMs offer any 17 benefits above and beyond traditional methods of treatment.