The Efficacy of Two Methods of Ankle Immobilization in Reducing Gastrocnemius, Soleus, and Peroneal Muscle Activity during Stance Phase of Gait

Background: Immobilization to limit muscle activity is a common therapeutic and posttreatment event. There are potential time and resource savings if a prefabricated boot can replace a custom applied cast. The purpose of this study was to determine if muscle activity reduction is similar using a fib...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Foot & ankle international 2004-06, Vol.25 (6), p.406-409
Main Authors: Kadel, Nancy J., Segal, Ava, Orendurff, Michael, Shofer, Jane, Sangeorzan, Bruce
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Ankle
Casts, Surgical
Electromyography
Female
Gait - physiology
Humans
Immobilization
Male
Muscle, Skeletal - physiology
Shoes
Walking - physiology
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Summary:Background: Immobilization to limit muscle activity is a common therapeutic and posttreatment event. There are potential time and resource savings if a prefabricated boot can replace a custom applied cast. The purpose of this study was to determine if muscle activity reduction is similar using a fiberglass cast versus a prefabricated (Aircast FoamWalker) boot. Methods: Surface EMG data were recorded from the gastrocnemius, soleus, and peroneals of 12 normal adults while walking barefoot, in a fiberglass cast with a cast shoe (cast), and while wearing an Aircast FoamWalker (boot). Subjects walked at their self-selected speed for 10 trials in each condition, and the order of barefoot, cast, and boot was randomly assigned. The data were rectified, integrated across stance phase and normalized to a percent of each subject's barefoot mean integrated EMG (iEMG) value. For each muscle, a linear mixed-effects statistical model (subject by trial by condition) was utilized to determine if iEMG activity levels were reduced by immobilization compared to barefoot walking. Results: Activity for all muscles was significantly lower in the boot compared with barefoot (p
ISSN:1071-1007
1944-7876
DOI:10.1177/107110070402500607