BACKGROUND: This study assesses talocrural joint mobility considering the six stages of CEAP classification (clinical, etiologic, anatomic and pathophysiologic by the International Consensus Committee reporting standards on venous disease) for venous disease using goniometry, and detects reduction in joint mobility in more advanced stages of the disease, C5 and C6 (healed or active ulcer). OBJECTIVE: Investigate the existence of a relationship between clinical severity of chronic venous disease of the lower limbs and reduction in talocrural joint mobility. METHODS: A total of 120 limbs from 88 Caucasian patients were randomly selected. They were divided based on clinical presentation according to the C clinical category of CEAP, being distributed into six groups belonging to categories from C0-C1 (control group) to C6, with 20 limbs each and similar mean age for each group. Range of ankle mobility was assessed by goniometry in the supine position. RESULTS: C groups on the CEAP classification showed significant difference in relation to talocrural joint mobility measured by goniometry (p < 0.001). C6 was significantly different from the other groups (p < 0.05); C5 was significantly different from C6, C3, C2 and C0-C1 (p < 0.05), but with no significant difference from C4; C4 was significantly different from C6 (p < 0.05) and not different from the other groups; C0-C1, C2 and C3 were not significantly different between themselves and in relation to C4, but were different from C5 and C6 (p < 0.05). Significance level used for tests was 5%. CONCLUSION: There is a relationship between clinical severity of chronic venous insufficiency of the lower limbs and reduction in talocrural joint mobility, which is more evident in the presence of active or healed venous ulcer.
Venous insufficiency; talocrural joint; venous ulcer
