Activation of selected ankle muscles during exercises performed on rigid and compliant balance platforms

Experimental laboratory study.

To compare how the design of 2 balance platforms affects ankle musculature activation for various weight-bearing exercises.

Balance platforms are widely used in both training and rehabilitation, and a better understanding of how platform design and type of exercise modify the demands on the ankle musculature may be helpful in staging exercise progression.

Surface electromyography was used to measure the activation level of the fibularis longus, tibialis anterior, and medial gastrocnemius while performing 4 exercises on 2 different balance platforms (compliant and rigid). Twenty-four (12 females, 12 males) healthy, sedentary subjects participated in the study. Analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis.

There was no significant interaction between balance platforms and exercises (P>.05), and the type of platform did not influence muscle activation for the 3 muscles monitored (P>.05). The highest activation level for the fibularis longus and medial gastrocnemius was obtained during single-leg stance, and for the tibialis anterior during the single-leg squat (P<.05).

In this study, although the demands on the ankle musculature were similar for selected exercises performed on a compliant versus a rigid balance platform, muscle activation level varied based on the exercise.