Immediate effects of the retrocapital pad and toe bar in sensorimotor foot orthoses on the electromyographic activity of the gastrocnemius muscle in healthy adults

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Abstract
Background: Sensorimotor foot orthoses (SMFOs) regulate muscle tone. Within this growing body of evidence, the impact of two SMFO elements, the retrocapital pad and toe bar, on the plantar flexors has not yet been investigated. It has been observed and postulated that combining these two elements may reduce calf muscle activity. Material and methods: This randomized crossover study included 29 healthy participants (age, 25.8 ± 6.5 years). Each participant performed 30-seconds walking and running trials on a treadmill to compare the SMFOs and no-foot orthoses (NFOs) conditions. The activities of the gastrocnemius medialis and lateralis were measured using surface electromyography (sEMG). Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was calculated and analyzed using a paired t-test-like statistic (significance level, α = 0.05). Results: No significant differences in muscle activity were observed between the SMFOs and NFOs conditions during either walking or running in healthy adults. Conclusion: The effects of SMFOs observed in clinical practice may not appear to extend to healthy young adults.

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