Long-term use of high-heeled shoes alters the neuromechanics of human walking

2012 ◽  
Vol 112 (6) ◽  
pp. 1054-1058 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil J. Cronin ◽  
Rod S. Barrett ◽  
Christopher P. Carty
Keyword(s):  
Lower Limb ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Triceps Surae ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius ◽  
Lower Limb Muscle ◽  
Limb Muscle ◽  
Fascicle Length ◽  
High Heel ◽  
Muscle Fascicle

Human movement requires an ongoing, finely tuned interaction between muscular and tendinous tissues, so changes in the properties of either tissue could have important functional consequences. One condition that alters the functional demands placed on lower limb muscle-tendon units is the use of high-heeled shoes (HH), which force the foot into a plantarflexed position. Long-term HH use has been found to shorten medial gastrocnemius muscle fascicles and increase Achilles tendon stiffness, but the consequences of these changes for locomotor muscle-tendon function are unknown. This study examined the effects of habitual HH use on the neuromechanical behavior of triceps surae muscles during walking. The study population consisted of 9 habitual high heel wearers who had worn shoes with a minimum heel height of 5 cm at least 40 h/wk for a minimum of 2 yr, and 10 control participants who habitually wore heels for less than 10 h/wk. Participants walked at a self-selected speed over level ground while ground reaction forces, ankle and knee joint kinematics, lower limb muscle activity, and gastrocnemius fascicle length data were acquired. In long-term HH wearers, walking in HH resulted in substantial increases in muscle fascicle strains and muscle activation during the stance phase compared with barefoot walking. The results suggest that long-term high heel use may compromise muscle efficiency in walking and are consistent with reports that HH wearers often experience discomfort and muscle fatigue. Long-term HH use may also increase the risk of strain injuries.

scholarly journals Effects of Dominant and Nondominant Limb Immobilization on Muscle Activation and Physical Demand during Ambulation with Axillary Crutches

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Kara B. Bellenfant ◽  
Gracie L. Robbins ◽  
Rebecca R. Rogers ◽  
Thomas J. Kopec ◽  
Christopher G. Ballmann
Keyword(s):  
Lower Limb ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Weight Bearing ◽  
Lower Limbs ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius ◽  
Bipedal Walking ◽  
Lower Limb Muscle ◽  
Limb Muscle ◽  
Physical Demand ◽  
Limb Dominance

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of how limb dominance and joint immobilization alter markers of physical demand and muscle activation during ambulation with axillary crutches. In a crossover, counterbalanced study design, physically active females completed ambulation trials with three conditions: (1) bipedal walking (BW), (2) axillary crutch ambulation with their dominant limb (DOM), and (3) axillary crutch ambulation with their nondominant limb (NDOM). During the axillary crutch ambulation conditions, the non-weight-bearing knee joint was immobilized at a 30-degree flexion angle with a postoperative knee stabilizer. For each trial/condition, participants ambulated at 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 mph for five minutes at each speed. Heart rate (HR) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) were monitored throughout. Surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to record muscle activation of the medial gastrocnemius (MG), soleus (SOL), and tibialis anterior (TA) unilaterally on the weight-bearing limb. Biceps brachii (BB) and triceps brachii (TB) sEMG were measured bilaterally. sEMG signals for each immobilization condition were normalized to corresponding values for BW.HR (p < 0.001) and RPE (p < 0.001) were significantly higher for both the DOM and NDOM conditions compared to BW but no differences existed between the DOM and NDOM conditions (p > 0.05). No differences in lower limb muscle activation were noted for any muscles between the DOM and NDOM conditions (p > 0.05). Regardless of condition, BB activation ipsilateral to the ambulating limb was significantly lower during 0.6 mph (p = 0.005) and 0.8 mph (p = 0.016) compared to the same speeds for BB on the contralateral side. Contralateral TB activation was significantly higher during 0.6 mph compared to 0.8 mph (p = 0.009) and 1.0 mph (p = 0.029) irrespective of condition. In conclusion, limb dominance appears to not alter lower limb muscle activation and walking intensity while using axillary crutches. However, upper limb muscle activation was asymmetrical during axillary crutch use and largely dependent on speed. These results suggest that functional asymmetry may exist in upper limbs but not lower limbs during assistive device supported ambulation.

scholarly journals A systematic review of the effect of footwear, foot orthoses and taping on lower limb muscle activity during walking and running

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 576-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Reeves ◽  
Richard Jones ◽  
Anmin Liu ◽  
Leah Bent ◽  
Emma Plater ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lower Limb ◽  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Frontal Plane ◽  
Triceps Surae ◽  
Tibialis Posterior ◽  
Foot Orthoses ◽  
Lower Limb Muscle ◽  
Limb Muscle ◽  
Therapeutic Benefits

Background: External devices are used to manage musculoskeletal pathologies by altering loading of the foot, which could result in altered muscle activity that could have therapeutic benefits. Objectives: To establish if evidence exists that footwear, foot orthoses and taping alter lower limb muscle activity during walking and running. Study design: Systematic literature review. Methods: CINAHL, MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science databases were searched. Quality assessment was performed using guidelines for assessing healthcare interventions and electromyography methodology. Results: Thirty-one studies were included: 22 related to footwear, eight foot orthoses and one taping. In walking, (1) rocker footwear apparently decreases tibialis anterior activity and increases triceps surae activity, (2) orthoses could decrease activity of tibialis posterior and increase activity of peroneus longus and (3) other footwear and taping effects are unclear. Conclusion: Modifications in shoe or orthosis design in the sagittal or frontal plane can alter activation in walking of muscles acting primarily in these planes. Adequately powered research with kinematic and kinetic data is needed to explain the presence/absence of changes in muscle activation with external devices. Clinical relevance This review provides some evidence that foot orthoses can reduce tibialis posterior activity, potentially benefitting specific musculoskeletal pathologies.

Neural Compensation Within the Human Triceps Surae During Prolonged Walking

2011 ◽  
Vol 105 (2) ◽  
pp. 548-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil J. Cronin ◽  
Jussi Peltonen ◽  
Thomas Sinkjaer ◽  
Janne Avela
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Triceps Surae ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius ◽  
Neural Activation ◽  
Fascicle Length ◽  
Muscle Fascicle ◽  
Compound Action Potentials ◽  
Triceps Surae Muscles ◽  
Short Time

During human walking, muscle activation strategies are approximately constant across consecutive steps over a short time, but it is unknown whether they are maintained over a longer duration. Prolonged walking may increase tendinous tissue (TT) compliance, which can influence neural activation, but the neural responses of individual muscles have not been investigated. This study investigated the hypothesis that muscle activity is up- or down-regulated in individual triceps surae muscles during prolonged walking. Thirteen healthy subjects walked on a treadmill for 60 min at 4.5 km/h, while triceps surae muscle activity, maximal muscle compound action potentials, and kinematics were recorded every 5 min, and fascicle lengths were estimated at the beginning and end of the protocol using ultrasound. After 1 h of walking, soleus activity increased by 9.3 ± 0.2% ( P < 0.05) and medial gastrocnemius activity decreased by 9.3 ± 0.3% ( P < 0.01). Gastrocnemius fascicle length at ground contact shortened by 4.45 ± 0.99% ( P < 0.001), whereas soleus fascicle length was unchanged ( P = 0.988). Throughout the stance phase, medial gastrocnemius fascicle lengthening decreased by 44 ± 13% ( P < 0.001), whereas soleus fascicle lengthening amplitude was unchanged ( P = 0.650). The data suggest that a compensatory neural strategy exists between triceps surae muscles and that changes in muscle activation are generally mirrored by changes in muscle fascicle length. These findings also support the notion of muscle-specific changes in TT compliance after prolonged walking and highlight the ability of the CNS to maintain relatively constant movement patterns in spite of neuromechanical changes in individual muscles.

Lower limb muscle activation patterns in ice-hockey skating and associations with skating speed

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Sami Kaartinen ◽  
Mika Venojärvi ◽  
Kim J Lesch ◽  
Heikki Tikkanen ◽  
Paavo Vartiainen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lower Limb ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Ice Hockey ◽  
Lower Limb Muscle ◽  
Limb Muscle ◽  
Activation Patterns ◽  
Muscle Activation Patterns

A comparison of lower limb muscle activation pattern using voluntary response index between pronated and normal foot structures during forward jump landing

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 379-384
Author(s):  
Hosein Kouhzad Mohammadi ◽  
Mohammad Mehravar ◽  
Khosro Khademi Kalantari ◽  
Sedighe Sadat Naimi ◽  
Alireza Akbarzadeh Baghban ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lower Limb ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Lower Limb Muscle ◽  
Limb Muscle ◽  
Activation Pattern ◽  
Muscle Activation Pattern ◽  
Response Index ◽  
Jump Landing ◽  
Voluntary Response

Comparison of lower limb muscle activation during downhill, level and uphill running

2010 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 163-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zong-Yan Cai ◽  
Cheng-Chen Hsu ◽  
Chin-Peng Su ◽  
Chin-Fan Lin ◽  
Yi-An Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lower Limb ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Lower Limb Muscle ◽  
Limb Muscle

scholarly journals Ultrasound Structural Changes in Triceps Surae After a 1-Year Daily Self-stretch Program: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial in Chronic Hemiparesis

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 245-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maud Pradines ◽  
Mouna Ghedira ◽  
Raphaël Portero ◽  
Ingrid Masson ◽  
Christina Marciniak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structural Changes ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Triceps Surae ◽  
Medial Gastrocnemius ◽  
Plantar Flexors ◽  
Fascicle Length ◽  
Rehabilitation Programs ◽  
Lower Limb Muscles ◽  
Muscle Fascicle ◽  
Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction. The effects of long-term stretching (>6 months) in hemiparesis are unknown. This prospective, randomized, single-blind controlled trial compared changes in architectural and clinical parameters in plantar flexors of individuals with chronic hemiparesis following a 1-year guided self-stretch program, compared with conventional rehabilitation alone. Methods. Adults with chronic stroke-induced hemiparesis (time since lesion >1 year) were randomized into 1 of 2, 1-year rehabilitation programs: conventional therapy (CONV) supplemented with the Guided Self-rehabilitation Contract (GSC) program, or CONV alone. In the GSC group, specific lower limb muscles, including plantar flexors, were identified for a diary-based treatment utilizing daily, high-load, home self-stretching. Blinded assessments included (1) ultrasonographic measurements of soleus and medial gastrocnemius (MG) fascicle length and thickness, with change in soleus fascicle length as primary outcome; (2) maximum passive muscle extensibility (XV1, Tardieu Scale); (3) 10-m maximal barefoot ambulation speed. Results. In all, 23 individuals (10 women; mean age [SD], 56 [±12] years; time since lesion, 9 [±8] years) were randomized into either the CONV (n = 11) or GSC (n = 12) group. After 1 year, all significant between-group differences favored the GSC group: soleus fascicle length, +18.1mm [9.3; 29.9]; MG fascicle length, +6.3mm [3.5; 9.1]; soleus thickness, +4.8mm [3.0; 7.7]; XV1 soleus, +4.1° [3.1; 7.2]; XV1 gastrocnemius, +7.0° [2.1; 11.9]; and ambulation speed, +0.07m/s [+0.02; +0.16]. Conclusions. In chronic hemiparesis, daily self-stretch of the soleus and gastrocnemius over 1 year using GSC combined with conventional rehabilitation increased muscle fascicle length, extensibility, and ambulation speed more than conventional rehabilitation alone.

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