INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT SNOWBOARD MATERIAL ON MUSCLE ACTIVITY AROUND THE ANKLE JOINT

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of different snowboard materials, freestyle versus slalom, on muscle activity around the ankle joint, when using the up-unweighting technique. With a portable recorder EMG signals from the m. gastrocnemius (GAS) and m. tibialis anterior (TA) were recorded. As expected, highest activity levels were found for the m.GAS in frontside positions and for the m.TA in backside positions. In general, freestyle demands more muscle activity than slalom, probably because of the use of soft boots. Due to the traverse position of the feet on a snowboard, the muscle activation in the front and the rear leg was compared in freestyle and slalom. Only for the m.GAS, different activity patterns were found between the front and the rear leg which could indicate that both legs fulfil a different function in the up-unweighting technique.