Foot orientation affects muscle activation levels of ankle stabilizers in a single-legged balance board protocol.
BACKGROUND
The main goal of balance training is regaining a normal neuromuscular control to a functional level. Although uniaxial balance boards are commonly used, no research has been done on the effect of foot orientation on muscle activation levels.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of foot orientation on muscle activation levels and modulation of the ankle stabilizing muscles in a single-legged balance protocol on a uniaxial balance board.


METHODS
Sixty-nine healthy subjects (age: 21.8±1.7years; mass: 67.5±11.9kg; body height: 174.7±8.6cm; BMI: 21.5±3.0) participated in this study. Subjects were asked to keep their balance during a single leg stance on a uniaxial balance board for four different foot orientations, aligning the board's rotation axis with frontal, sagittal, diagonal and subtalar axes of the foot, respectively. Surface electromyography registered muscle activity of peroneus longus, tibialis anterior, medial and lateral gastrocnemius muscles.


RESULTS
Highest muscle activation levels and modulation for the peroneus longus were registered exercising along the frontal axis; for the tibialis anterior along the diagonal axis; for the medial gastrocnemius along the sagittal axis; and for the lateral gastrocnemius along the diagonal axis.


CONCLUSIONS
Foot orientation modifications on a uniaxial balance board allows to differentially target specific ankle stabilizing muscles during balance training.
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Roel.DeRidder@ugent.be.
Roel
R
De Ridder
Department of Physiotherapy and Orthopedics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Tine.Willems@ugent.be.
Tine
T
Willems
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Sophie.DeMits@ugent.be.
Sophie
S
De Mits
School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Science, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK. Electronic address: J.Vanrenterghem@ljmu.ac.uk.
Jos
J
Vanrenterghem
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Philip.Roosen@ugent.be.
Philip
P
Roosen
D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000502:physiology*; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
Balance training; Foot orientation; Muscle activity; Uniaxial board