Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 80, Issue 5 , Pages 540-544, May 1999

Electromyographic effects of foot orthotics on selected lower extremity muscles during running☆☆☆★★★

  • Deborah A. Nawoczenski, PhD, PT

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests to Deborah A. Nawoczenski, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Ithaca College-University of Rochester campus, 300 E. River Road, Suite 1–102, Rochester, NY 14623.
    • Department of Physical Therapy, Ithaca College-University of Rochester campus, Rochester, NY, USA
    • ,
  • Paula M. Ludewig, PhD, PT

      Affiliations

    • Physical Therapy Program, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

Received 17 August 1998; accepted 12 November 1998.

Abstract 

Objective: To study the effects of foot orthotics on the mean electromyographic amplitude of proximal and distal lower extremity muscle groups during the first 50% of the stance phase during treadmill running.

Design: Repeated measures.

Setting: Subjects were recruited from the general community.

Participants: Twelve recreational runners who were symptomatic for lower extremity pain. Clinical and radiographic findings confirmed the presence of structural malalignment of the foot.

Intervention: Semirigid orthotics were fabricated for each subject, and like footwear provided.

Main Outcome Measures: Surface electromyogram activity from the tibialis anterior, medial gastrocnemius, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and biceps femoris was collected during treadmill running at self-selected speeds for orthotic and nonorthotic conditions. Root mean square values were averaged across 10 cycles, normalized to time and expressed as a percentage of the nonorthotic condition.

Results: Paired t test results showed statistically significant changes (p < .05) for the biceps femoris (−11.1%) and tibialis anterior (+37.5%) muscle groups during the orthotic condition. Electromyographic activity in the medial gastrocnemius, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis with orthotic use was not significantly different from the nonorthotic condition.

Conclusion: Although subjects' electromyographic responses to orthotic use were highly individualized, the findings of this study may enhance our understanding of muscle activity changes associated with positive outcomes from orthotic use.

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☆ This work was initiated while both authors were affiliated with the Graduate Program in Physical Therapy at The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA.

☆☆ Supported in part by the Foundation for Physical Therapy.

★ Presented at the Annual Conference of the American Physical Therapy Association, June 1993, Cincinnati, OH.

★★ No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the authors or upon any organization with which the authors are associated.

PII: S0003-9993(99)90196-X

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 80, Issue 5 , Pages 540-544, May 1999

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