Analysis of muscular fatigue and foot stability during high-heeled gait

Gait Posture. 2002 Feb;15(1):56-63. doi: 10.1016/s0966-6362(01)00180-1.

Abstract

Plantar pressure measurements and surface electromyography (EMG) were used to determine the effects of muscular fatigue induced by high-heeled gait. The medio-lateral (M/L) stability of the foot was characterized by measuring the M/L deviations of the center of pressure (COP) and correlating these data with fatigue of lower-limb muscles seen on EMG. EMG measurements from habitual high-heeled shoe wearers demonstrated an imbalance of gastrocnemius lateralis versus gastrocnemius medialis activity in fatigue conditions, which correlated with abnormal lateral shifts in the foot-ground or shoe-ground COP of these women.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Electromyography
  • Female
  • Foot / physiology*
  • Gait / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Muscle Fatigue / physiology*
  • Postural Balance / physiology*
  • Pressure
  • Shoes