Effect of Training in Water and Training with Thera-Band on the Frequency Spectrum of Electrical Activity of Lower Limb Muscles in People with Pronated Foot During Walking: A Clinical Trial Study

The ankle joint is one of the most vulnerable joints in the body due to weight bearing. Pronated foot is one of the most common complications of the lower limbs. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of training in water and training with thera-band on the frequency spectrum of electrical activity of lower limb muscles in people with pronated foot during walking.

The present research was a clinical trial study that was conducted in a semi-experimental and laboratory. The statistical sample of the present study included 45 students of University of Mohaghegh Ardabili who had pronated foot, were selected purposefully and were randomly and equally placed in three groups: TheraBand, exercise in water, and control. The training protocol used for the water training group was based on the sports prescription guidelines of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and for the training group with the thera-band, it was performed using an orange thera-band in three sets with repetitions of 14 movements. To measure the frequency spectrum of the electrical activity of the lower limb muscles, it was recorded using a wireless surface electromyography device. Likewise, analysis of variance with repeated measurements and Bonferroni post hoc test were used to analyze the data at a significance level of P≤0.05.

The results showed that the interactive effect of time and group on the middle frequency spectrum of electromyography of the vastus medialis muscle in the exercises of the thera-band group during walking had a significant decrease (P=0.02). Other variables from the pre-test stage to the post-test did not show statistically significant differences (P<0.05).

It seems that doing exercises in water and thera-band doesn't statistically have much effect on the frequency spectrum of the electrical activity of the lower limb muscles.