sEMG Activation of the Flexor Muscles in the Foot during Balance Tasks by Young and Older Women: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objective: In this publication, we suggest that young adults and seniors use various defense mechanisms to counteract loss of balance. One of the hypotheses is the change in the coordination of antagonistic muscle groups, especially within the ankles. In this study, we tried to determine if there is a relationship between the condition from resilient, to pre-frail, to frail and the ability to maintain balance during free standing and balance tasks. The aim of the study was to define the importance of muscle activity in the ankle joint, dorsal flexor of the foot for the following: tibialis anterior (TA), plantar flexor of the foot gastrocnemius medialis (GM), gastrocnemius lateralis (GL), and peroneus longus (PER), during balance tasks with eyes open (EO) and closed (EC). We hypothesized that there are differences in the activity and co-activation of the tested muscles in young and older women, which may indicate an increased risk of falls and walking disorders. Materials and methods: A group of 20 women qualified for the study. The group was divided into two subgroups, young (G1) and elderly women (G2). The aim of the study was to define the importance of muscle activity in the ankle joint, dorsal flexor of the foot for the following: tibialis anterior (TA), plantar flexor of the foot gastrocnemius medialis (GM), gastrocnemius lateralis (GL), and peroneus longus (PER), during balance tasks with eyes open (EO) and closed (EC). Results: In this study, we observed significant differences between groups in the maximum and mean values of electromyography activity (EMG) activation of the examined muscles on different types of surfaces and with open and closed eyes. Older women generated higher values of EMG activation in all muscles except the gastrocnemius medialis muscle. The results were significant for co-activation at rest for muscles as follows: tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius medialis with eyes closed (p = 0.01) and peroneus and gastrocnemius lateralis at rest with eyes open (p = 0.03), eyes closed (p = 0.04), and on a foam (p = 0.02). The sEMG amplitude of the tested muscles means that agonist muscle activity changed relative to antagonistic muscle activity. Conclusions: Activation of sEMG and coordination of ankle muscles during balance tasks change with age. It can be hypothesized that assessment of balance during free standing and equivalent tasks can predict the state of frailty, after taking into account other physiological variables that are believed to affect balance control.

Training Benefits and Injury Risks of Standing Yoga Applied in Musculoskeletal Problems: Lower Limb Biomechanical Analysis

“…Although this study did not include elderly subjects, previous research [19] indicated that the younger population experienced larger joint moments about both ankles while performing common standing yoga poses than their older counterparts, perhaps suggesting different load distribution strategies by the two populations. EMG activation and the coordination of ankle muscles during balance tasks also change with age [29]. In order to compensate for the deterioration of the postural control system and provide them with a posture that has greater stability, elders showed increased co-activation of the agonist and antagonistic muscles in the ankle joint when the support plane was changed.…”

The Influence of Walking Height and Width on the Gait

“…Fall caused by the loss of balance is the most common accident during working at height [12][13][14][15]. e imbalance at height is caused by many factors including complicated neuromotor effects [16,17].…”

Movement Time of Lower Trunk Muscles during Dynamic Postural Control in Response to a Sudden Visual Stimulus during Walking: A Pilot Study

“…Moreover, Monika Błaszczyszyn et al reported tibialis anterior, peroneus, gastrocnemius medialis, and gastrocnemius lateralis of young and old women who were measured. All muscles except the gastrocnemius medialis muscle showed higher muscle activity in old rather than young women [ 23 ]. For that reason, older people control their posture by using more calf muscles than younger people to prevent falls.…”