Goniometry: Ankle (Talocrural) Plantarflexion

Introduction

Goniometry is a useful measurement technique often used amongst professionals to assess a patients range of movement at a particular joint. Most closed-chain activities like walking, running, squatting or jumping, require normal flexibility of the ankle joint.

Anatomical Movement

Ankle (talocrural joint) plantarflexion.

Axes and Planes of Motion

The Talocrural joint is a hinge joint, resulting in it having one degrees of freedom, providing plantarflexion and dorsiflexion movements. These movements occur in the sagittal plane, with a frontal axis.

Testing position

Patient is in prone or supine with test-side knee in slight flexion to remove any limitation caused by the gastrocnemius. This test can also be performed in sitting or standing.

Therapist to stabilise the leg and asks the patient to perform movement from a plantigrade position.

Goniometer Placement

AXIS LOCATION	STATIONARY ARM	MOVEMENT ARM
Lateral calcaneus at bisection of fibula + 5th metatarsal	Paralell to fibular	Paralell with 5th metatarsal

Expected Findings

Expected range of motion is 30-50 degrees.