Noriaki Maeda1, Arisu Hirota2, Makoto Komiya2, Masanori Morikawa2, Rami Mizuta2, Hironori Fujishita3, Yuichi Nishikawa4, Toshiki Kobayashi5, Yukio Urabe2. 1. Division of Sport Rehabilitation, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan. Electronic address: norimmi@hiroshima-u.ac.jp. 2. Division of Sport Rehabilitation, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan. 3. Sports Medical Center, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan. 4. Faculty of Frontier Engineering, Institute of Science & Engineering, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan. 5. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 11 Yuk Choi Road, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The human foot has competent mechanisms for supporting weight and adapting movement to various surfaces; in particular, the toe flexor muscles aid in supporting the foot arches and may be important contributors to postural stability. However, the role of intrinsic foot muscle morphology and structure in the postural control system remains unclear, and the relationship between them is not well known. RESEARCH QUESTION: Are intrinsic foot muscle morphology and toe flexor strength related to static and dynamic postural stability in healthy young men?. METHODS: A total of 27 healthy men aged 19-27 years participated in this study. intrinsic foot muscle morphology included muscle hardness and thickness. Cross-sectional area was measured by ultrasonography at an ankle dorsiflexion angle of 0°. The hardness of the abductor hallucis (AbH), flexor hallucis brevis, and flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) muscles was measured using ultrasound real-time tissue elastography. Static postural stability during single-leg standing on a single force platform with closed eyes was assessed for the right leg. In the assessment of dynamic postural stability, the subjects jumped and landed on single-leg onto a force platform and the dynamic postural stability index (DPSI) was measured. RESULTS: FDB muscle thickness showed a positive correlation with anteroposterior stability index (APSI) (r = 0.398, p = 0.040). AbH muscle hardness was negatively correlated with APSI (r = -0.407, p = 0.035); whereas FDB muscle hardness was positively correlated with DPSI (r = 0.534, p = 0.004), vertical stability index (r = 0.545, p = 0.003), and maximum vertical ground reaction force (r = 0.447, p = 0.020). Multiple regression with forced entry revealed that only DPSI was significantly correlated with FDB muscle hardness (p = 0.003). SIGNIFICANCE: The results indicated that intrinsic foot muscle hardness plays an important role in dynamic postural control among healthy young men, which may enable a more rapid muscular response to changes in condition during jump landing and better performance in balance tasks.
BACKGROUND: The human foot has competent mechanisms for supporting weight and adapting movement to various surfaces; in particular, the toe flexor muscles aid in supporting the foot arches and may be important contributors to postural stability. However, the role of intrinsic foot muscle morphology and structure in the postural control system remains unclear, and the relationship between them is not well known. RESEARCH QUESTION: Are intrinsic foot muscle morphology and toe flexor strength related to static and dynamic postural stability in healthy young men?. METHODS: A total of 27 healthy men aged 19-27 years participated in this study. intrinsic foot muscle morphology included muscle hardness and thickness. Cross-sectional area was measured by ultrasonography at an ankle dorsiflexion angle of 0°. The hardness of the abductor hallucis (AbH), flexor hallucis brevis, and flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) muscles was measured using ultrasound real-time tissue elastography. Static postural stability during single-leg standing on a single force platform with closed eyes was assessed for the right leg. In the assessment of dynamic postural stability, the subjects jumped and landed on single-leg onto a force platform and the dynamic postural stability index (DPSI) was measured. RESULTS: FDB muscle thickness showed a positive correlation with anteroposterior stability index (APSI) (r = 0.398, p = 0.040). AbH muscle hardness was negatively correlated with APSI (r = -0.407, p = 0.035); whereas FDB muscle hardness was positively correlated with DPSI (r = 0.534, p = 0.004), vertical stability index (r = 0.545, p = 0.003), and maximum vertical ground reaction force (r = 0.447, p = 0.020). Multiple regression with forced entry revealed that only DPSI was significantly correlated with FDB muscle hardness (p = 0.003). SIGNIFICANCE: The results indicated that intrinsic foot muscle hardness plays an important role in dynamic postural control among healthy young men, which may enable a more rapid muscular response to changes in condition during jump landing and better performance in balance tasks.