Compare the lower leg muscle strength and range of motion in people with and without Medial tibia stress syndrome and its relation with leg posture

Medial Tibia Stress Syndrome (MTSS) is one of the common injuries in most athletes. The purpose of the present study was to compare the lower leg muscle strength and Range of Motion (ROM) in people with or without MTSS and its relation with leg posture.
The sample were 30 students of Physical Sciences at Guilan University including 15 students with MTSS and 15 normal students. We used Foot Posture Index, to assess placement of athletes’ legs with MTSS. Also, dynamometer was used to evaluate isometric strengths of abductor and adductor thigh muscles’ dorsi and plantar flexor of the ankle. Then, we measured the active ROM for lateral and internal rotation thigh, dorsi, and plantar flexion, eversion, and inversion of ankle using universal goniometer.
The results indicating the relationship between posture of leg with level of MTSS showed pronation of 46.7% (P= 0.02). Also, a significant difference was found in the strength of abductor and adductor of thigh muscle and dorsi and plantar flexor of ankle between the two groups (p≤0.05) in that muscle strength of thigh adductor (P=0.022) and ankle plantar flexor (P=0.020) with MTSS were stronger than those of the controls, but thigh abductor muscle strength (P=0.018) and ankle dorsi flextion (P=0.046) of the MTSS group were weaker than those of the control group. Other results showed significant differences in spinning ROM of thigh external and internal rotation and plantar flexor of ankle joint between the two groups (P≤0.05) as MTSS group had thigh external (P=0.011) and plantar flexor (P=0.003) ROM more than those of the other group. No significant difference was found in the internal rotation of thigh, dorsi flexion, inversion, and eversion of ankle between the two groups (P≥/05).
According to the findings, using appropriate exercises to improve the power and flexibility of lower limbs’ joints and muscles can prevent MTSS. Also, it was revealed that pronation of leg can be among the main causes of inside MTSS. So, it is highly recommended that the trainers correct this unnatural correction via anti-pronation tapes and special insoles.