Evaluating Postural Control and Lower-extremity Muscle Activation in Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability

Computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) is an objective technique for the evaluation of postural stability under static and dynamic conditions and ...

Evaluating the Function of the Foot Core System in the Elderly

As a complex structure to link the body and the ground, the foot contributes to postural control in human static and dynamic activities. The foot core is ...

Shanghai University of Sport

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a leading cause of public disability. Neuromuscular function contributes to the development and/or progression of KOA. Whole body vibration (WBV) exercise improve the neuromuscular function of patients with neurological disorders and even that of older patients with limited exercise options. Therefore, WBV exercise may offer an efficient and alternative treatment for individuals with KOA. However, the effects of WBV training on the neuromuscular function of individuals with KOA remain unclear. Therefore, this study attempts to investigate the effect of a 12-week WBV exercise on the neuromuscular function of individuals with KOA.

Effects of whole body vibration exercise on neuromuscular function for individuals with knee osteoarthritis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

This study aims to investigate the effects of 8-week strength exercise on knee and ankle proprioception of individuals with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Forty participants were randomly divided into control and strength exercise groups. Strength exercise group underwent squat training of three times a week for 8 weeks, while control group received an education programme. Threshold for detection of passive movement of knee and ankle joint was tested using an electrically driven movable frame. Between- and within-group differences were evaluated through repeated-measurement analysis of variance. After intervention, passive motion sense in knee flexion of participants in strength exercise group significantly improved (p = 0.033, 95% confidence interval of mean difference: 0.019-1.478) with significant difference between groups. No significant differences of passive motion senses were found in knee extension and ankle between strength exercise and control groups. Eight-week squat training significantly improves the motion sense of knee flexion in patients with KOA.

Effects of strength exercise on the knee and ankle proprioception of individuals with knee osteoarthritis.

This study aims to investigate the effects of adding whole-body vibration (WBV) exercise to squat training (ST) on the physical function and muscle strength of patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA).

Effect of adding whole-body vibration training to squat training on physical function and muscle strength in individuals with knee osteoarthritis.

The study aimed to investigate the effects of 24 weeks Taichi intervention on knee and ankle proprioception amongst individuals with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Ninety-two patients with KOA were included in the current study, involving 52 participants in the intervention group and 40 participants in the control group. The intervention group performed Taichi exercise for 24 weeks, the control group accepted the health education lectures. The main outcome of this study was the proprioception of the knee and ankle which was measured by an electric-driven movable frame. Between- and within-group differences were evaluated through the repeated-measurement ANOVA. For the Taichi group, the differences in the changes in ankle proprioception were significant on ankle plantarflexion (p = 0.03), ankle dorsiflexion (p = 0.043), ankle varus (p = 0.019) and knee flexion (p = 0.01) between the baseline and post-test measures. Twenty-four weeks Taichi exercise may improve the ankle and knee proprioception of patients with KOA.

Effects of Taichi exercise on knee and ankle proprioception among individuals with knee osteoarthritis.

Foot strike patterns influence the running efficiency and may be an injury risk. However, differences in the leg stiffness between runners with habitual forefoot (hFFS) and habitual rearfoot (hRFS) strike patterns remain unclear. This study aimed at determining the differences in the stiffness, associated loading rate, and kinematic performance between runners with hFFS and hRFS during running. Kinematic and kinetic data were collected amongst 39 runners with hFFS and 39 runners with hRFS running at speed of 3.3 m/s, leg stiffness (Kleg), and vertical stiffness (Kvert), and impact loads were calculated. Results found that runners with hFFS had greater Kleg ( = 0.010, Cohen's  = 0.60), greater peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) ( = 0.040, Cohen's  = 0.47), shorter contact time(  ) ( < 0.001, Cohen's  = 0.85), and smaller maximum leg compression (Δ  ( = 0.002, Cohen's  = 0.72) compared with their hRFS counterparts. Runners with hFFS had lower impact peak (IP) ( < 0.001, Cohen's  = 1.65), vertical average loading rate (VALR) ( < 0.001, Cohen's  = 1.20), and vertical instantaneous loading rate (VILR) ( < 0.001, Cohen's  = 1.14) compared with runners with hRFS. Runners with hFFS landed with a plantar flexed ankle, whereas runners with hRFS landed with a dorsiflexed ankle ( < 0.001, Cohen's  = 3.35). Runners with hFFS also exhibited more flexed hip ( = 0.020, Cohen's  = 0.61) and knee ( < 0.001, Cohen's  = 1.15) than runners with hRFS at initial contact. These results might indicate that runners with hFFS were associated with better running economy through the transmission of elastic energy.

Leg Stiffness and Vertical Stiffness of Habitual Forefoot and Rearfoot Strikers during Running.

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the leading causes of global disability, which causes knee pain, stiﬀness and swelling. Impaired neuromuscular function may cause joint instability, alignment changes and knee stress, which leads to the progression of KOA. Whole-body vibration (WBV) training is considered to improve pain and functional mobility effectively. However, few studies have investigated the therapeutic effect of WBV on neuromuscular function in KOA.

Comparison of whole-body vibration training and quadriceps strength training on physical function and neuromuscular function of individuals with knee osteoarthritis: A randomised clinical trial.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different overground surfaces on running biomechanics of non-rearfoot strikers. Thirty-one male habitual non-rearfoot strikers were required to run at 3.3 ± 0.2 m/s on a customized runway with artificial grass, concrete, or synthetic rubber surfaces in a random order. Vertical loading rates, three-dimensional ground reaction forces (GRFs), and lower-limb joint angles and moments were compared among surfaces. Regarding kinematics, significances were only detected in maximum knee flexion angle, with greater values when running on artificial grass compared to synthetic rubber or concrete. Regarding kinetics, changes were demonstrated in GRF peaks and lower-limb joint moments. GRF peaks were significantly greater when running on synthetic rubber or artificial grass compared to concrete; lower-limb joint moments were significantly lower when running on synthetic rubber compared to concrete; these changes were inconsistent when running on artificial grass compared to concrete. Significant differences were demonstrated in running kinetics when habitual non-rearfoot strikers ran on different overground surfaces. Running on artificial grass or synthetic rubber caused greater GRFs than running on concrete. However, only synthetic rubber could reduce joint loads.

Effects of overground surfaces on running kinematics and kinetics in habitual non-rearfoot strikers.

Falls are one of the most common accidents in older adults, often leading to injury, disability and quality-of-life declines. Foot core function contributes to postural stability in most static postures and dynamic activities. As efficient foot core training, the intrinsic-foot-muscle exercise has been proposed to improve postural control. However, the effects of the exercise on postural stability in the elderly remain unclear. Therefore, this study attempts to investigate the effect of 12-week intrinsic-foot-muscle exercise on postural stability in older adults with fall risk.

Effects of intrinsic-foot-muscle exercise combined with the lower extremity resistance training on postural stability in older adults with fall risk: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Zhangqi Lai

School of Kinesiology,
Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Exercise and Metabolic Health

Shanghai University of Sport

Evaluating Postural Control and Lower-extremity Muscle Activation in Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability

Evaluating the Function of the Foot Core System in the Elderly

Zhangqi Lai

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}School of Kinesiology,Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Exercise and Metabolic Health

Shanghai University of Sport

Evaluating Postural Control and Lower-extremity Muscle Activation in Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability

Evaluating the Function of the Foot Core System in the Elderly

School of Kinesiology,
Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Base of Exercise and Metabolic Health