KNEE, ANKLE AND FOOT JOINT

MOBILIZATION
 KNEE JOINT
ARTICULATING SURFACE-
• PROXIMAL – DISTAL END OF
FEMUR AT EPICONDYLE
• DISTAL – TIBIAL CONDYLE

• TYPE OF JOINT- SYNOVIAL

JOINT WITH HING VARITY

• TYPES OF MOTION- UNIAXIAL

FLEXION & EXTENSION
 Resting Position
The resting position is 25 flexion.
• Resting Position
The resting position is
25 Degree flexion.

• Tibiofemoral
Distraction, Long-Axis
Traction
Knee joint disruction
 Tibiofemoral Posterior Glide
• Indications
To increase flexion.

• Patient Position
Supine, with the foot resting
on the table.
• Therapist Position and Hand
Placement
• Sit on the table with your thigh
fixating the patient’s foot.
• With both hands, grasp around the
tibia, fingers pointing posteriorly and
thumbs anteriorly.

• Mobilizing Force
• Extend your elbows and lean your
body weight forward;
• push the tibia posteriorly with your
thumbs.
 Tibiofemoral Posterior glide:Alternate
Positions and Progression
• Indication
To increase flexion
• Patient Position
• Sitting, with the knee
flexed over the edge of
the treatment table.
• Progress to near 90
flexion with the tibia
positioned in internal
rotation.
• Therapist Position and Hand Placement
• When in resting position, stand on the medial side of
the patient’s leg. Hold the distal leg with your distal
hand and place the palm of your proximal hand along
the anterior border of the tibial plateaus.
When near 90 sit on a low stool; stabilize the leg
between your knees and place one hand on the
anterior border of the tibial plateaus.
When prone, stabilize the femur with one hand and
place the other hand along the border of the tibial
plateaus.
• Mobilizing Force
• Extend your elbow and lean your body weight onto the
tibia, gliding it posteriorly.
 Tibiofemoral Anterior Glide
• Indication
To increase extension.
• Patient Position
• Prone, beginning with
the knee in resting
position;
• Place a small pad under
the distal femur to
prevent patellar
compression.
• Hand Placement
Grasp the distal tibia with the hand place the
palm on the posterior aspect of the proximal
tibia.
• Mobilizing Force
Force with the hand on the proximal tibia in
an anterior direction.
 Patellofemoral Joint, Distal Glide
• Indication
To increase patellar
mobility for knee
flexion.
• Patient Position
Supine, with knee
extended.
• Hand Placement
• Stand next to the patient’s thigh, facing the
patient’s feet.
• Place the web space of the hand that is closer
to the thigh around the superior border of the
patella.
• Use the other hand for reinforcement.
• Mobilizing Force
• Glide the patella in a caudal direction, parallel
to the femur.
 Patellofemoral Medial-Lateral Glide
• Indication
To increase patellar mobility.
• Patient Position
Supine with the knee
extended.
• Hand Placement
• Place the heel of your hand
along either the medial or
lateral aspect of the patella
• Mobilizing Force
• Glide the patella in a medial
or lateral direction
Proximal Tibiofibular Articulation:
Anterior (Ventral) Glide
• Indications
To increase movement of
the fibular head
• Patient Position
• Side-lying, with the trunk
and hips rotated partially
`toward prone.
• The top leg is flexed
forward so the knee and
lower leg are resting on
the table or supported on
a pillow.
• Therapist Position and Hand Placement
• Stand behind the patient, placing one of your
hands under the tibia to stabilize it.
• Place the base of your other hand posterior to
the head of the fibula, wrapping your fingers
anteriorly.
• Mobilizing Force
• The force comes from the palmof hand against
the posterior aspect of the fibular head, in an
anterior-lateral direction.
Distal Tibiofibular Articulation: Anterior
(Ventral) or Posterior Dorsal) Glide
• Indication
• To increase mobility
when it is restricting
ankle dorsiflexion.

• Patient Position
Supine or prone.
• Hand Placement
• Working from the end of the table, place the
fingers of the more medial hand under the
tibia and the thumb over the tibia to stabilize
it. Place the base of your other hand over the
lateral malleolus, with the fingers underneath.
• Mobilizing Force
• Press against the fibula in an anterior direction
when prone and in a posterior direction when
supine.