Lower limb flexibility norms: some racial, gender and limb symmetrical considerations

The joint flexibility of the lower limb of 400 undergraduate students (200 males and 200 females) whose ages ranged between 20 and 25 years were measured with the standard goniometer. The measured range of motion were hip flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, medial and laterial rotation, knee flexion and ankle dorsiflexionn and plantarflexion. Overall it was found that Nigeria adults demonstrated more lower limb joints flexibility than those reported by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) (1963). Females exhibited higher flexibility in hip extension, adduction, medial and lateral rotation, ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion, but were lower in hip flexion and abduction as compared to males. For both sexes, only slight asymmetrical variation were observed in the joint measurements obtained for the right and left lower limbs. Our findings suggested that the application of universal joint flexibility norms for different racial groups may be clinically inappropriate. Thus flexibility norms may be specific to the racial population from which it was derived. It also alerts physical therapists on the need to discriminate joint mobilities between male and female patients. It is envisaged that the findings of this study will further assist physical therapists while assessing young adult patients who may suffer musculoskeletal dysfunction affecting the lower extremity. In treating a patient, the unaffected contra-lateral limb joint may validly be used as a standard for the affected one.