Abstract
[Purpose] This study investigated the effect of a newly developed toe-heel loading platform, using the iEMG muscle activities of the lower limbs. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty-eight lower limbs of 19 healthy males (average age 21.6 ± 2.0 years old) were the subjects. The iEMGs of their lower limbs were measured while standing on the toe-heel loading platform, and while standing on flat ground. The muscles examined were the bilateral flexor hallucis brevis, flexor digitorum brevis, vastus medialis, tibialis anterior, biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and gastrocnemius medial head. Raw iEMG data were processed by integrating the iEMG and normalizing the values to maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC), and %MVC values were compared between the two conditions. [Results] When standing on the toe-heel loading platform, the flexor hallucis brevis, vastus medialis, tibialis anterior, and semitendinosus showed significant increases in %MVC. [Conclusion] The results suggest that standing on the toe-heel loading platform significantly increases the muscle activities of the lower limb.
