Comparing the Effect of Closed Kinetic Chain Exercises and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation on Ankle Joint Proprioception in Elderly Males

Strengthening factors affecting maintaining balance can be used as a basic strategy in the treatment of balance dysfunctions in elderly people. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of closed kinetic chain exercises and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on ankle joint proprioception of elderly males. Amongst 380 elderly males from Farsan city, Iran, 45 participants were randomly divided into 3 groups of 15. Average age in the closed kinethic chain group was 69.93 ± 6.70 years, in proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation group was 67.20 ± 6.90 years, and in the control group was 72.53± 6.95 years. All the participants voluntarily participated in this study. The amount of error in the reconstruction of the ankle joint angles was measured in inversion and eversion motions in angle 15 degree. Experimental groups performed closed kinetic chain exercises and PNF in 45 minute, 3 sessions per week for eight weeks and the control group was asked to continue their daily activity. One-way ANOVA revealed that there was a significant difference (p≤0.05) in the average error rate of reconstructing joint angles of all three angles (inversion range of angle was 15 and eversion range of angle was 15). Furthermore, the post hoc test results showed that closed kinethic chain exercises’ effect was significantly more than PNF exercises on the proprioception (p≤0.05). The findings of the current study demonstrated that the closed chain exercises due to weight-bearing can be more effective than PNF exercises on ankle joint proprioception of elderly males.