Full‐length carbon fiber insole alters lower leg muscle activity in patients with midfoot arthritis

Tae Im Yi,Jung Hyun Kim,Ji Hye Hwang,Tae Hee Yoon,Ji Yang

doi:10.1186/1757-1146-7-s1-a117

Abstract

Methods Fifteen patients with midfoot arthritis aged between 20 and 60 years participated in the study. Foot function index (FFI) was assessed to evaluate pain before and after the walking activity. Lower leg muscle activity, GRF and gait cycle time during walking were measured under two conditions: “shoe only”, and “shoe with FCF insole”. Electromyography (EMG) activities of the tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius medialis (GCM) and soleus muscles in the involved leg were assessed by multi-channel telemetry EMG. Simultaneously, the GRF was measured under both conditions. The gait cycle was divided into four different phases including loading response (LR), mid-stance (MS), terminal stance (TS), and pre-swing (PS).

Highlights

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the full-length carbon fiber (FCF) insole on the lower leg muscle activity and the GRF during walking in patients with unilateral midfoot arthritis
While walking under the shoe with FCF insole condition, significant reductions of the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle activity were observed in the loading response (LR) phase only in the group that reported pain reduction (p = 0.028)
As for the measurement of the gastrocnemius medialis (GCM) muscle activity, under the shoe with FCF insole condition, a significant reduction was observed in the terminal stance (TS) and PS phases only in the group that reported pain reduction (p = 0.046 and p = 0.046)

Summary

Introduction

Full-length carbon fiber insole alters lower leg muscle activity in patients with midfoot arthritis Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the full-length carbon fiber (FCF) insole on the lower leg muscle activity and the GRF during walking in patients with unilateral midfoot arthritis. Foot function index (FFI) was assessed to evaluate pain before and after the walking activity.

Results

Conclusion