Supra-threshold vibration applied to the foot soles enhances jump height under maximum effort

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that absence or reduction of cutaneous sensory feedback can diminish human motor performance under maximum effort. However, it has not been explored whether any appropriate intervention in the cutaneous sensory input can augment the output motor performance, particularly in motor tasks such as jumping that involve the kinematic chain of the entire body. Using shoes with active vibrating insoles, we applied mechanical vibration to the soles of 20 young and healthy adults and evaluated the change in the jump height and muscle activation using within-participants repeated measures. The noise-like vibration having an amplitude of 130% of the sensory threshold of each participant led to an average increase of 0.38 cm in the jump height (p = 0.008) and activation of the rectus femoris of the dominant leg (p = 0.011). These results indicate that application of a properly designed cutaneous stimulus to the soles, the distal end effectors of motor tasks, can augment the output performance by involving the prime movers distant from the end effector.

Different types of plantar vibration affect gait characteristics differently while walking on different inclines

“…Among different types of vibration, plantar vibration, applied to the sole, has been verified to improve haptic perception and neuromuscular activation not only in patients but also in healthy participants ( Layne, Forth & Abercromby, 2005 ; Layne & Forth, 2008 ). The latest studies suggest that plantar vibration increases vertical jump height and decreases the minimal toe clearance variability in healthy young adults, indicating the beneficial role of plantar vibration in enhancing locomotor performance ( Moon et al, 2022 ; Pathak et al, 2022 ). Specifically, based on different amplitude and frequency combinations, different rehabilitation protocols with vibration can be developed depending on the needs of clinical practice ( Murillo et al, 2014 ).…”