A device to simulate ankle motion associated with inversion ankle injury was constructed. This device consists of a trap door that can be tilted 30° from the horizontal plane. Surface EMG electrodes were placed over the peroneus brevis and peroneus longus muscles. The time measured from the tilting of the plate to the first muscular response on the EMG was defined as the reflex time. Twenty individuals with unilateral ankle joint instability were tested. The mechanical ankle joint stability was measured using standardized radiographic measurements, taking into account anterior talar translation and talar tilt. The mean anterior talar translation was 5.9 mm and the mean talar tilt was 3.2° in the stable ankles, compared to 12.7 mm and 10.5° for the unstable ankles. The mean reflex time was 68.8 ms (peroneus longus) and 69.2 ms (peroneus brevis) in the stable ankles as compared to 84.5 ms (peroneus longus) and 81.6 ms (peroneus brevis) in the unstable ankles. Important factors influencing functional instability are discussed.
Four shoulder muscles (the supraspinatus, the infraspinatus, the anterior and middle portion of the deltoid, and the descending part of the trapezius) were examined with electromyography in abducted arm positions. By using feedback techniques, we found that the subjects could reduce the EMG activity voluntarily by 22-47% in the trapezius muscle while keeping different static postures. This was not true for any other muscle investigated. When the trapezius activity was reduced there was a tendency towards an increase of EMG activity in some other shoulder muscles, particularly the infraspinatus. The findings may be related to relaxation from an initial overstabilization of the shoulder, or redistribution of load among synergists. It is suggested that the possibility of reducing trapezius activity may be of ergonomic significance. It is also noted that EMG trapezius activity may not serve as a universal descriptor of total muscular load in the shoulder.
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