Effect of Knee Brace on the Electric Activity of Selected Lower Limb Muscles during Walking in Older Adults

Abstract

Background and Aims One of the treatment methods in the old age is to strengthen the sensory inputs. This study aims to evaluate the effect of knee brace on the electric activity of selected lower limb muscles during walking in older adults. Methods The is a quasi-experimental and laboratory study. Participants were 30 older adults, 15 females (Mean age=62.66±3.84 years, mean height= 159.93±0.02 cm, mean weight= 73.86±11.56 kg, body mass index=28.82±4.17 kg/m2) and 15 males (Mean age= 68.93±5.88 years, mean height=175.07±0.03 cm, mean weight= 81.20±11.07 kg, body mass index= 26.44±3.19 kg/m2). The intervention was the use of a type of brace by restricting knee flexion and extension movements or knee support. Electromyography (EMG) data were analyzed in DataLITE and MATLAB applications using two-way ANOVA with repeated measures, and considering the significance level at P<0.05. Results The effects of braces on the electric activity of tibialis anterior, semitendinosus and erector spinae muscles were significantly different in the loading response, mid-stance, push-off and swing phases of walking. The effect of group on the electric activity of anterior tibialis and biceps femoris muscles in the loading response phase and for gastrocnemius medialis and biceps femoris muscles in the push-off and swing phases were significantly different. The interaction effect of group and brace was significant on the electric activity of the gastrocnemius and vastus medialis muscles in the push-off phase, and on the electric activity of the vastus lateralis and semitendinosus muscles in the swing phase. Conclusion The knee brace improves the electric activity of selected muscles during walking in older adults. However, further studies are needed to prove this claim.