Foot orthoses and EMG activity

admin · Jun 12, 2005

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In the thread on Elite Athletes and Foot Biomechanics, there was some speculation on muscle activity, foot orthoses and efficiency of gait.

Now we have this abstract from Ann Munderman when she was at Beno Nigg's lab:

Foot orthoses affect frequency components of muscle activity in the lower extremity.
Gait Posture. 2005 Jun 7
Mundermann A, Wakeling JM, Nigg BM, Humble RN, Stefanyshyn DJ.

The purpose of this study was to quantify the effects of selected foot orthoses on muscle activity in the lower extremity during running. Nine male and 12 female recreational runners, clinically and functionally classified as 'pronators', volunteered for this study and performed over-ground running trials at 4m/s in each of four experimental conditions: control, posting, molding, and posting & molding. Electromyographic (EMG) signals were recorded from seven lower extremity muscles. Wavelet analysis was performed to obtain EMG intensities in two frequency bands that were averaged for the pre-heel-strike and post-heel-strike intervals and for 30-100% of stance phase. Posting and custom-molding of foot orthoses increased the global EMG intensity of most muscles of the lower extremity for the stance phase of running (P<0.05). The increases in EMG intensity were greater in the high- than in the low-frequency bands for some lower extremity muscles (P<0.05). The effects on muscle activity of posting and custom-molding of foot orthoses differed between the three phases of running gait. The three tested foot orthoses did affect lower extremity muscle activity differently and these effects were specific to the phases of running gait. Combinations of increased requirements of controlling joint motion and minimizing soft tissue vibrations may have led to greater increases in shank muscle activity for the posted condition. The substantial changes in EMG due to orthotic interventions found in this study documents the importance of the study of muscle activity as a reaction to shoe inserts and foot orthoses.
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This is a follow-up on her previous study:
Mundermann A, Nigg BM, Humble RN, Stefanyshyn DJ
Foot orthotics affect lower extremity kinematics and kinetics during running.
Clin Biomech. 2003 Mar;18(3):254-62.

admin · Jun 12, 2005

Its an ePublication prior to print publication - release date was 7 Jun (presume that means it will be in the July edition of the journal)

GarethNZ · Jun 12, 2005

Article in Gait and Posture

ARB said:

Admin - I can't seem to find this article in the June edition of G&P?
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Drop me an email if you would like a copy of the article. I'm pretty sure I should be able to get it off an e-journal. Mine is foot_email@yahoo.co.nz

Gareth :)

NewsBot · Aug 27, 2006

The effect of three levels of foot orthotic wedging on the surface electromyographic activity of selected lower limb muscles during gait.
Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2006 Aug 21;
Murley GS, Bird AR

Background. Some types of foot orthoses have been researched for their effect on lower limb electromyographic muscle activity during walking. However, foot orthoses with high levels of medial rearfoot wedging ('inverted' foot orthoses) have not been investigated.

Methods. In a cross-sectional study, asymptomatic participants with a pronated foot type (n=15) were each issued with a pair of 0 degrees , 15 degrees and 30 degrees inverted custom-made foot orthoses. After four weeks of habituation to the orthoses, surface electromyography was used to measure the onset and maximum EMG amplitude of tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, medial gastrocnemius and soleus muscles using five conditions [barefoot, shoe-only, 0 degrees , 15 degrees and 30 degrees inverted foot orthoses conditions].

Findings. A statistically significant increase in tibialis anterior maximum EMG amplitude occurred using the shoe only (30% increase), 0 degrees (33% increase), 15 degrees (38% increase) and 30 degrees (30% increase) inverted orthoses conditions compared to walking barefoot (P<0.01). Peroneus longus maximum EMG amplitude increased significantly using the 15 degrees inverted orthosis condition compared to walking barefoot (21% increase, P=0.04).

Interpretation. Footwear and orthoses can significantly alter the maximum EMG amplitude of leg muscles during walking. Foot orthoses appear to increase peroneus longus EMG amplitude compared to footwear alone. However, the level of medial rearfoot posting within an orthosis does not appear to significantly alter maximum EMG amplitude. The individual responses to foot orthoses are highly variable. The changes in EMG amplitude with the use of foot orthoses and shoes may have clinical implications.
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NewsBot · Jul 25, 2017

A comparison of lower limb muscle activation pattern using voluntary response index between pronated and normal foot structures during forward jump landing
Hosein Kouhzad Mohammadi et al
Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies; Article in Press

Background
Pronated foot is one of the important factors contributing to the musculoskeletal problems of the lower extremities. It is known that in pronated foot, excessive mechanical load is applied to the lower limb structures which may result in altered biomechanics and muscle activation patterns. The aim of this study was to determine changes in the muscle activation pattern of the lower extremities in the pronated compared to normal foot individuals, using the voluntary response index (VRI).

Methods
In this cross sectional study, 15 asymptomatic pronated foot individuals (mean age 23.27 ± 3.28 years) and 15 normal subjects (mean age 23.40 ± 3.11 years) were recruited by simple non-random sampling. Electrical activities of gluteus medius (GM), vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), biceps femoris, semitendinosus (ST), and medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles were recorded during a forward jump landing task. Voluntary response index (VRI) variables, included similarity index (SI) and magnitude (Mag) were also evaluated.

Results
Muscle activity of VM (p < 0.001) and ST (p = 0.010) were significantly higher but VL (p = 0.039) and MG (p = 0.001) were significantly lower in pronated foot, compared to normal subjects. Similarity index was found to be different (p < 0.001) between pronated foot and healthy individuals. No significant difference was found in terms of Mag between the two groups (p = 0.576).

Conclusion
The altered pattern of lower limb muscle activation identified in the pronated foot during landing may be attributed to the different activation in VL, VM, MG and ST muscles. Adaptations to the biomechanical effects due to the pronated foot causing altered activation of VL, VM, MG, and ST muscles, resulting in an altered pattern of muscle activation. This change in activation pattern may harm the effectiveness of movement control processes; and might also predispose individuals with pronated foot to injuries. It seems that an altered motor strategy with the aim of minimizing biomechanical changes, predisposes individuals to injuries. However, further large scale studies are needed to support the findings of the present study.
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NewsBot · Mar 18, 2018

Electromyography comparison of the effects of various footwear in the activity patterns of the peroneus longus and brevis muscles
Andrea Roca-Dols et al
Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials; 13 March 2018

Background
Peroneus longus and brevis (PLB) disorders are commonly in people with lateral ligamentous instability, ankle pain, lateral hindfoot pain and structures of the proximal compartment of the lower legs and their muscle activity is believed to be influenced by different footwear types. The proposal of this research is to evaluate the effects of five types of footwear with respect to the barefoot condition and analyze the activity patterns of PLB muscles in healthy subjects during the gait cycle.

Methods
Thirty healthy subjects were recruited in a laboratory in this cross-sectional research design. While walking, electromyography (EMG) activity was measured from PLB via surface electrodes in six experimental conditions: 1) barefoot, 2) minimalist, 3) pronated control, 4) air chamber, 5) ethyl-vinyl-acetate (EVA) and 6) boost. These data were obtained and compared.

Results
The peroneus brevis showed significant reductions in the peak amplitude of the five footwear types (minimalist, pronation control, air chamber, EVA and boost) with respect to the barefoot condition in the propulsion phase of the gait cycle during walking (P= 0.034; P<0.001; P<0.001; P<0.001; P=0.006) and running (P= 0.004; P<0.001; P=0.001; P<0.001; P=0.001), respectively. Furthermore, peroneus longus showed significant reductions in the peak amplitude of these five footwear types with respect to the barefoot condition in the propulsion phase of the gait cycle during running (P= 0.005; P=0.038; P=0.019; P=0.025; P=0.021).

Conclusion
The EMG activity patterns of the PLB muscles may depend on the use of different types of sport shoes such as minimalist, pronation control, air chamber, EVA and boost footwear with respect the barefoot condition in different phases of the gait cycle during walking and running.
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