Ankle impairments extend to patients without neuropathy

Italian researchers reported in July that ankle range of motion and muscle performance are significantly impaired in patients with diabetes, and not just in those who also suffer from peripheral neuropathy.

The findings suggest that other variables in addition to neuropathy—including body mass index, deconditioning, or neurological or orthopedic comorbidities—may be contributing to impaired ankle biomechanics in patients with diabetes. Previous studies of diabetic peripheral neuropathy patients have suggested that poor ankle musculature and ROM in that population contribute to the risk of plantar ulcers.

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