A comparison of abductor hallucis muscle activation and medial longitudinal arch angle during nine different foot exercises.

Abductor hallucis longus Electromyography Foot exercises Functional training Intrinsic foot muscles

Journal

Gait & posture
ISSN: 1879-2219
Titre abrégé: Gait Posture
Pays: England
ID NLM: 9416830

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
12 Jun 2024
Historique:
received: 23 03 2024
revised: 12 05 2024
accepted: 10 06 2024
medline: 22 6 2024
pubmed: 22 6 2024
entrez: 21 6 2024
Statut: aheadofprint

Résumé

Intrinsic foot muscles are known to support the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) and stabilize the foot, and they are activated with weight bearing and increased postural demand. Various types of intrinsic foot muscle training have been reported, but one of the most useful of these, the short foot exercise, is challenging to perform effectively and requires practice, making it difficult to implement in ordinary clinical settings. What are the differences in abductor hallucis longus (ABH) muscle activity and MLA angle during intrinsic foot muscle exercises that employ weight bearing and balancing conditions when they are performed with minimal practice? Sixteen healthy volunteers performed nine different intrinsic foot muscle exercises, practiced once or twice. The exercises consisted of toe curl, short foot without pushing, short foot with pushing and toe spread exercises in sitting and standing positions, and single leg swing in a standing position. Each exercise was performed three times for five seconds. The activities of the ABH muscles were measured using surface electromyographic (EMG) sensors and the MLA angles during the exercises were captured using an optical motion tracking system. The integrals of the ABH EMG signals were calculated. Differences in the integral and maximum of the ABH EMG signal were found between the exercises (p < 0.001). Post-hoc pair-wise analysis revealed that the EMG activity was larger during the swing exercise than in exercises other than toe spread, both in sitting and standing positions, and short foot exercise with pushing while standing. The minimum MLA angle during each exercise was smaller for the toe spread exercise in a sitting position than other exercises (p < 0.023). A single leg swing exercise may be effective for self-exercise of intrinsic foot muscles, particularly when intensive supervised physiotherapy is not possible.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Intrinsic foot muscles are known to support the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) and stabilize the foot, and they are activated with weight bearing and increased postural demand. Various types of intrinsic foot muscle training have been reported, but one of the most useful of these, the short foot exercise, is challenging to perform effectively and requires practice, making it difficult to implement in ordinary clinical settings.
RESEARCH QUESTION OBJECTIVE
What are the differences in abductor hallucis longus (ABH) muscle activity and MLA angle during intrinsic foot muscle exercises that employ weight bearing and balancing conditions when they are performed with minimal practice?
METHODS METHODS
Sixteen healthy volunteers performed nine different intrinsic foot muscle exercises, practiced once or twice. The exercises consisted of toe curl, short foot without pushing, short foot with pushing and toe spread exercises in sitting and standing positions, and single leg swing in a standing position. Each exercise was performed three times for five seconds. The activities of the ABH muscles were measured using surface electromyographic (EMG) sensors and the MLA angles during the exercises were captured using an optical motion tracking system. The integrals of the ABH EMG signals were calculated.
RESULTS RESULTS
Differences in the integral and maximum of the ABH EMG signal were found between the exercises (p < 0.001). Post-hoc pair-wise analysis revealed that the EMG activity was larger during the swing exercise than in exercises other than toe spread, both in sitting and standing positions, and short foot exercise with pushing while standing. The minimum MLA angle during each exercise was smaller for the toe spread exercise in a sitting position than other exercises (p < 0.023).
SIGNIFICANCE CONCLUSIONS
A single leg swing exercise may be effective for self-exercise of intrinsic foot muscles, particularly when intensive supervised physiotherapy is not possible.

Identifiants

pubmed: 38905851
pii: S0966-6362(24)00193-0
doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2024.06.008
pii:
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Pagination

167-172

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Declaration of Competing Interest None.

Auteurs

Mai Katakura (M)

Department of Bioengineering, White City Campus, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom; Fortius Clinic FIFA Centre of Excellence, 17 Fitzhardinge Street, London W1H 6EQ, United Kingdom.

Mercedes Aramayo Gomes Rezende (MAG)

Department of Bioengineering, White City Campus, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom.

James D F Calder (JDF)

Department of Bioengineering, White City Campus, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom; Fortius Clinic FIFA Centre of Excellence, 17 Fitzhardinge Street, London W1H 6EQ, United Kingdom.

Angela E Kedgley (AE)

Department of Bioengineering, White City Campus, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom. Electronic address: akedgley@imperial.ac.uk.

Classifications MeSH