Introduction: Soccer is a contact sport with a high risk of injury, the most common being sprains of the ankle. These have a high recurrence rate associated with chronic ankle instability. Manual therapy is often used in the rehabilitation process. Some techniques based on mobilization of the talocrural joint have been shown to be effective in increasing ankle range of motion and improving the arthrokinematics of the joint. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to find out the effects of manual therapy (mobilization techniques) on ankle joint function in a female soccer player with chronic ankle instability. Methods: A case study was conducted involving an active female soccer player with chronic ankle instability. The following measurement tools and procedures were used: force plate, star excursion balance test, figure of eight test, square hop test, passive measurement of dorsiflexion in the upper ankle joint, measurement of dorsiflexion in standing position, talus glide test and pain assessment with a visual analog scale to assess pain intensity. Manual therapy consisted of two 2-minute sets of two joint mobilization techniques, with a one-minute rest in between. Results: We found that ankle mobilization techniques affected the increase in range of motion of dorsiflexion and possibly posterior glide of the talus. Mobilization resulted in an improvement in static balance. Dynamic balance improved; the Star excursion balance test result showed the most improvement in the posterolateral direction. Manual therapy also improved the results in both functional tests related to movement patterns in soccer. Discussion and conclusion: Ankle mobilization techniques may have a significant effect on improving dorsiflexion range of motion, static and dynamic balance, and ankle function related to soccer play in a soccer player with a chronically unstable ankle. In the future, it would be useful to conduct a similar study with a larger number of subjects and additional and longer interventions.
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