Calf muscle activity alteration with foot orthoses insertion during walking measured by fine-wire electromyography.
Hiroshi Akuzawa, Atsushi Imai, Satoshi Iizuka and 2 others
PMID 28174473WHAT IT FOUND
In ten healthy young men, shoes plus arch-supporting insoles lowered tibialis posterior activity during propulsion compared with barefoot walking, but did not change peroneus longus or flexor digitorum longus activity.
Key findings
01During propulsion, tibialis posterior muscle activity was significantly lower with orthoses than barefoot.
02Tibialis posterior activity differed among conditions in midstance and propulsion, but post hoc testing only confirmed a difference between barefoot and orthoses in propulsion.
03Peroneus longus and flexor digitorum longus activity did not differ significantly among conditions in any phase.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only ten of the sixteen recruited participants were analyzed after four tibialis posterior and two flexor digitorum longus electrode insertions failed. The participants were healthy young male students, so the results may not apply to patients with foot, knee, hip, or medial tibial stress syndrome problems. The study measured electrical muscle activity during walking, not pain, function, injury risk, or long-term outcomes. The paper did not report blinding or how the three conditions were ordered. Prefabricated insoles had arch supports but no wedge, so the result may not apply to posted orthoses.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that foot orthoses treat or prevent medial tibial stress syndrome. This study measured muscle activity in ten healthy walkers, and the authors state that further research is required to clarify the clinical effect in patients.