Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2025
Evaluating Postural Control and Lower-extremity Muscle Activation in Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability
Published on: September 18, 2020
Effect of Foot Position on Ankle Muscle Activity During Wobble Board Training in Individuals With Chronic Ankle
Jung-Hoon Choi1, Heon-Seock Cynn2, Seung-Min Baik2
1Department of the Rehabilitation Team, Yongin Severance Hospital, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; Applied Kinesiology and Ergonomic Technology Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of foot positioning on muscle activities of the peroneus longus (PL), medial gastrocnemius (MG), and tibialis anterior (TA)/PL ratio in individuals with chronic ankle instabilities (CAI) during wobble board training.
Methods:
Thirty individuals with CAI were included, and statistical significance of PL and MG muscle activities was determined using 1-way repeated measures analysis of variance alongside TA/PL activity ratio at the university research laboratory. The participants performed the wobble board training in 3 different foot positions: medial from the centerline of the wobble board (WBT-M), middle from the centerline of the wobble board, and lateral from the centerline of the wobble board (WBT-L). Peroneus longus, MG, and TA muscle activities were measured using surface electromyography.
Results:
Peroneus longus activity was significantly higher in the WBT-L position than in the other 2 positions, and it was significantly higher in the middle from the centerline of the wobble board than in the WBT-M position. Medial gastrocnemius activity was significantly greater in the WBT-L position than in the other 2 positions. Tibialis anterior/PL ratio was higher in the WBT-M position than in the other 2 positions.
Conclusion:
The findings of this study showed that WBT-L increased PL muscle activity by >70% of the maximal voluntary isometric contraction without increasing TA/PL ratio in individuals with CAI.
