Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026
Evaluating the Function of the Foot Core System in the Elderly
Published on: March 11, 2022
Effect of fatigue on neuromuscular function at the ankle
Gregory M Gutierrez1, Nicole D Jackson, Kristin A Dorr
1Department of Health, Nutrition, & Exercise Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, USA. gregmg@udel.edu
Context:
Lateral ankle sprains occur more frequently than any other orthopedic injury. Athletes often report sustaining more injuries late in competition when fatigue is present.
Objective:
To evaluate neuromuscular function of the ankle musculature after fatigue.
Design:
Experimental, pretest-posttest.
Setting:
Research laboratory.
Participants:
Ten female and 9 male college-aged subjects.
Intervention:
Fatigue was induced via continuous concentric and eccentric muscle actions of the ankle: inversion (INV), eversion (EV), plantar flexion (PF), and dorsiflexion (DF).
Main Outcome Measures:
Peak torque (PT), peak EMG, and median frequency (MF) were calculated prefatigue and postfatigue in the tibialis anterior (TA), peroneus longus (PER), and lateral gastrocnemius (GAS) muscles.
Results:
Main effects were noted for test (P < 0.0125) in all statistical tests performed indicating changes in PT, peak EMG, and MF after fatigue.
Conclusions:
A significant decrease in MF of the PER muscle after PF fatigue and corresponding with a decreased firing rate, may be of importance, especially with regard to the role in countering the violent moment seen with inversion ankle sprains.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Muscle Recovery and Fatigue
01:10Ankle Joint
01:28Muscles of the Leg that Move the Foot and Toes
Anterior Compartment
The anterior compartment includes muscles that contribute to the dorsiflexion of the foot. This compartment houses the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus muscles.
01:22Fatigue Strength of Concrete