title: Effect of fatigue on neuromuscular function at the ankle.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lateral ankle sprains occur more frequently than any other orthopedic injury. Athletes often report sustaining more injuries late in competition when fatigue is present.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate neuromuscular function of the ankle musculature after fatigue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental, pretest-posttest.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten female and 9 male college-aged subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fatigue was induced via continuous concentric and eccentric muscle actions of the ankle: inversion (INV), eversion (EV), plantar flexion (PF), and dorsiflexion (DF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Peak torque (PT), peak EMG, and median frequency (MF) were calculated prefatigue and postfatigue in the tibialis anterior (TA), peroneus longus (PER), and lateral gastrocnemius (GAS) muscles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Main effects were noted for test (P < 0.0125) in all statistical tests performed indicating changes in PT, peak EMG, and MF after fatigue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant decrease in MF of the PER muscle after PF fatigue and corresponding with a decreased firing rate, may be of importance, especially with regard to the role in countering the violent moment seen with inversion ankle sprains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Nutrition, & Exercise Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, USA. gregmg@udel.edu
authors.forename: Gregory M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: Nicole D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Kristin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Dorr
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Margiotta
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Kaminski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018763:Muscle Fatigue / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000502:physiology; D010807:Physical Endurance; D012737:Sex Factors; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019415:Torque