Short Foot Exercise vs. The Towel Curl Exercise for Intrinsic Muscle Strength

NewsBot · Jun 21, 2012

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Differences in Static and Dynamic Balance Task Performance Following Four Weeks of Intrinsic Foot Muscle Training: The Short Foot Exercise vs. The Towel Curl Exercise.
J Sport Rehabil. 2012 Jun 18.

CONTEXT:
Proper functioning of the intrinsic foot musculature (IFM) is essential in maintaining the integrity of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA). Improper functioning of the IFM leads to excessive pronation of the foot, which has been linked to various pathologies. Therefore, training the IFM to avoid excessive pronation may help to prevent some of these pathologies; however, it is not clear how to train these muscles optimally.

OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the effects of two different types of IFM training on: (1) the height of the MLA, (2) static and dynamic balance task performance.

DESIGN:
Randomized control trial, repeated measures mixed model design.

SETTING:
University biomechanics laboratory for testing and a home based training program.

PARTICIPANTS:
24 healthy, university age volunteers (3 groups of 8) with no history of major lower limb pathology or balance impairment.

INTERVENTIONS:
One experimental group performed 4 weeks of the short foot exercise (SFE) and the other performed 4 weeks of the towel curl exercise (TCE). Participants were asked to perform 100 repetitions of their exercise/day.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
(1) The navicular height during weight bearing, (2) the total range of movement of the center of pressure (COP) in the medial-lateral (ML) direction for (i) a static balance test, (ii) a dynamic balance test.

RESULTS:
There were no differences in the navicular height or static balance tests. For the dynamic balance test, all groups decreased the ML COP movement on the dominant limb by a small amount (approximately 5 mm); however, the SFE group was able to decrease COP movement much more than the TCE group in the non-dominant limb.

CONCLUSIONS:
The SFE appeared to train the IFM more effectively than the TCE; however, there were differing results between the dominant and non-dominant legs. These imbalances need to be taken into consideration by clinicians.
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Craig Payne · Jun 21, 2012

Yet another study showing no relationship between muscle strength and arch height:

NewsBot said: ↑

There were no differences in the navicular height
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..add that to the others: Muscle Strength and Arch Height

NewsBot · Apr 26, 2014

The Effect of an Inclined Ankle on the Activation of the Abductor Hallucis Muscle during Short Foot Exercise.
Heo HJ, An DH.
J Phys Ther Sci. 2014 Apr;26(4):619-20.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of an inclined ankle on the activation of the abductor hallucis muscle during short foot exercises.

[Subjects] We recruited 14 healthy volunteers who were free of pain, and did not suffer from arthritis or osteomuscular problems related to the foot or ankle.

[Methods] The subjects performed short foot exercises and short inclined foot exercises with 30° passive ankle dorsiflexion.

[Results] The exercise with an inclined foot showed a significantly larger activation of the abductor hallucis than that shown during the neutral short foot exercises.

[Conclusion] These results suggest that passive ankle dorsiflexion during short foot exercise for strengthening the abductor hallucis is a more effective clinical treatment exercise
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NewsBot · Nov 5, 2014

EMG Activity of the Abductor Hallucis Muscle during Foot Arch Exercises Using Different Weight Bearing Postures.
Goo YM, Heo HJ, An DH.
J Phys Ther Sci. 2014 Oct;26(10):1635-6

[Purpose] This study examined the effects of different weight-bearing postures on the activation of the abductor hallucis muscle during foot-arch exercises.
[Subjects] The study recruited 11 healthy volunteers who were pain-free, had no history of foot or ankle surgery, and were able to maintain a standing posture.
[Methods] The subjects performed short-foot and toe-spreading exercises while sitting and standing.
[Results] The abductor hallucis muscle activation in the toe-spreading exercise was significantly greater when standing than in sitting, while that in the short-foot exercise did not differ significantly between the two postures.
[Conclusion] The results of this study suggests that a weight bearing posture such as standing is the most effective method of increasing the EMG activity of abductor hallucis muscle in the toe-spreading exercise.
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NewsBot · Oct 7, 2016

Intrinsic Foot Muscle Activation During Specific Exercises: A T2 Time Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.
Thomas M. Gooding, Mark A. Feger, Joseph M. Hart, and Jay Hertel
Journal of Athletic Training In-Press.

Context: The intrinsic foot muscles maintain the medial longitudinal arch and aid in force distribution and postural control during gait. Impaired intrinsic foot-muscle function has been linked to various foot conditions. Several rehabilitative exercises have been proposed to improve it; however, literature that identifies which individual muscles are activated during specific intrinsic foot-muscle exercises is lacking.

Objective: To describe changes in activation of the intrinsic plantar foot muscles after 4 exercises as measured with T2 time magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Design: Descriptive laboratory study.

Setting: Research laboratory.

Patients or Other Participants: Eight healthy National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I collegiate cross-country and track athletes (5 men and 3 women: age = 20 ± 0.93 years, height = 180.98 ± 10.84 cm, mass = 70.91 ± 7.82 kg).

Intervention(s): Participants underwent T2 MRI before and after each exercise. They completed 1 set of 40 repetitions of each exercise (short-foot exercise, toes spread out, first-toe extension, second- to fifth-toes extension).

Main Outcome Measure(s): Percentage increases in muscle activation of the abductor hallucis, flexor digitorum brevis, abductor digiti minimi, quadratus plantae, flexor digiti minimi, adductor hallucis oblique, flexor hallucis brevis, the interossei, and lumbricals (analyzed together) after each exercise were assessed using T2 MRI.

Results: All muscles showed increased activation after all exercises. The mean percentage increase in activation ranged from 16.7% to 34.9% for the short-foot exercise, 17.3% to 35.2% for toes spread out, 13.1% to 18.1% for first-toe extension, and 8.9% to 22.5% for second- to fifth-toes extension. All increases in activation had associated 95% confidence intervals that did not cross zero.

Conclusions: Each of the 4 exercises was associated with increased activation in all of the plantar intrinsic foot muscles evaluated. These results may have clinical implications for the prescription of specific exercises to target individual intrinsic foot muscles.
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NewsBot · May 2, 2023

Plantar intrinsic foot muscle activation during functional exercises compared to isolated foot exercises in younger adults
Lydia Willemse et al
Physiother Theory Pract. 2023 Apr 26;1-13

Background: Training the plantar intrinsic foot muscles (PIFMs) has the potential to benefit patients with lower extremity musculoskeletal conditions as well as the aged population. Isolated foot exercises, often standard in clinical practice, are difficult to perform, whereas functional exercises are much easier to accomplish. However, it is unclear whether functional exercises are comparable to isolated foot exercises in activating the PIFMs.

Objective: This study aims to compare the activation of PIFMs between functional exercises versus isolated foot exercises.

Methods: Using surface electromyography (EMG), muscle activation of three PIFMs was measured in four functional exercises (i.e. normal/unstable toe stance, toe walking, and hopping) versus a muscle-specific isolated foot exercise in 29 younger adults, resulting in 12 comparisons.

Results: Functional exercises showed larger mean EMG amplitudes than the isolated foot exercises in 25% of the 12 comparisons, while there was no difference in the remaining 75%.

Conclusion: Functional exercises provoked comparable or even more activation of the PIFMs than isolated foot exercises. Given that functional exercises are easier to perform, this finding indicates the need to further investigate the effectiveness of functional exercises in physical therapy to improve muscle function and functional task performance in populations that suffer from PIFM weakness or dysfunction.
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NewsBot · May 9, 2023

Intrinsic Foot Muscle Exercises With and Without Electric Stimulation
Katherine R. Newsham
Journal of Sport Rehabilitation: 04 May 2023

Context: Exercising intrinsic foot muscles (IFMs) can improve dynamic balance and foot posture. The exercises are not intuitive and electrotherapy (neuromuscular electrical stimulation [NMES]) has been suggested to help individuals execute the exercises. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of training IFM program on dynamic balance and foot posture and compare traditional training methods (TRAIN) with traditional training plus NMES on the perceived workload of the exercises, balance, and foot posture. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Thirty-nine participants were randomized to control, TRAIN, or NMES. TRAIN and NMES performed IFM exercises daily for 4 weeks; NMES received electrotherapy during the first 2 weeks of training. The Y-Balance test and arch height index were measured in all participants at baseline. The training groups were measured again at 2 weeks; all participants were measured at 4 weeks and 8 weeks, after 4 weeks of no training. Perceived workload (National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index) of exercises was assessed throughout the first 2 weeks and at 4 weeks. Results: A 4-week IFM training program demonstrated increases in Y-Balance (P = .01) for TRAIN and in arch height index (seated P = .03; standing P = .02) for NMES, relative to baseline. NMES demonstrated improvement in Y-Balance (P = .02) and arch height index standing (P = .01) at 2 weeks. There were no significant differences between the training groups. Groups were similar in the number responding to exercises in excess of minimal detectable change on all clinical measures. Perceived workload of the exercises decreased during the first 2 weeks of training (P = .02), and more notably at 4 weeks (P < .001). The groups did not differ in how they perceived the workload. Conclusions: A 4-week IFM training program improved dynamic balance and foot posture. Adding NMES in early phases of training provided early improvement in dynamic balance and foot posture, but did not affect perceived workload.
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