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Quantifying the Contributions of a Flexor Digitorum Brevis Muscle on Postural Stability.
Okai LA, Kohn AF.
Motor Control. 2014 Jul 15.

 

I wonder how they controlled for other muscles acting when they stimulated the muscle.

I wonder how they defined gravity's toppling force? What the intrinics will do is plantar flex the toes and this would cause a minor anterior shift in the location of the center of pressure. If you were to topple forward then the intrinsics could help you from toppling over. If you started to fall in any other direction, the intrinsics would not be helpful. I'm curious as to whether the short flexors could produce enough plantar flexion moment to lift the met heads off of the ground in static stance (in the absence of other muscle activity). That 14.5% number sounds very high when you compare the ability of the gastroc and soleus to shift the center of pressure moer anteriorly.

Eric