title: Ankle muscular proprioceptive signals' relevance for balance control on various support surfaces: an exploratory study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to test the effect of various unstable support surfaces on the relevance of muscular proprioceptive signals originating from the ankle joint.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten healthy subjects were instructed to stand as still as possible on a force plate during 40 secs on three different surfaces: (1) stable, (2) unstable-unspecific (foam), and (3) unstable-specific (inspired from rearfoot anatomy). Muscular vibration was applied on the paraspinals and fibularis muscles. The effects of vibrations on postural stability as well as fibularis longus and tibialis anterior electrical activities for each support condition were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The unstable-specific support surface was associated with higher fibularis muscular activity and greater postural perturbations when fibularis muscles were vibrated than the unspecific-unstable surface.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Balance control on unstable-specific support surface maintains the relevance on muscular proprioceptive signals originating from ankle and increases ankle evertor muscle activity.
authors.affiliation: From the Laboratoire de Physiologie de l'Exercice EA4338, Université de Savoie, France (NF, RT); CEVRES Santé, le Bourget du Lac, France (RT); Faculté de Médecine, Département de kinésiologie Université Laval, Québec, Canada (NT); and Centre d'excellence sur le vieillissement de Québec-CHUQ, Québec, Canada (NT).
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Forestier
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Terrier
authors.forename: Normand
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Teasdale
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000842:Ankle / Q000502:physiology*; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012016:Reference Values; D014732:Vibration