Motor point heatmap of the calf.
Elias Schriwer, Robin Juthberg, Johanna Flodin and 1 others
PMID 36859293WHAT IT FOUND
Motor point locations on the calf vary greatly between people.
A heatmap identifies two specific areas with a 50% chance of containing a motor point, offering a faster starting point for electrode placement than random guessing.
Key findings
01There is pronounced inter-individual variation in the localization of calf motor points.
02Areas 4 and 29 have the highest probability of containing a motor point, with a 50% chance.
03The most distal motor point found was at 51% of the calf length, suggesting clinicians do not need to scan below the mid-calf.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study included only healthy adults; motor point locations may differ in patients with muscle atrophy, edema, or altered anatomy. The heatmap is based on a small sample (n=30), so the probabilities are estimates specific to this group. Motor point locations can change over time due to neural adaptations from NMES use, which this study did not track longitudinally.
Declared interests
Funded by VINNOVA, Svenska Forskningsrådet Formas, Energimyndigheten, and Karolinska Institute. No commercial conflicts declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these two areas will always contain the best motor point for every patient. The study showed pronounced variation between individuals, so while these spots are good starting points for a search, a manual scan is still necessary to find the optimal location for each person.