IS THE HIGH-TOP SHOE MORE PROTECTIVE IN LANDING ON A TILTED SURFACE: A KINEMATIC AND ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC EVALUATION

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of high-top and low-top shoes on ankle inversion kinematics and pre-landing EMG activation of ankle evertor muscles during the landing on a combined inverted and plantarflexed surface. Thirteen male subjects were instructed to wear high-top & low-top shoes to execute self-initiated drop landings in each of the 8 landing conditions, i.e. 2 shoes × 4 surface conditions, on an inverted (or combined plantarflexed) platform. Ankle inversion kinematics and the EMG from the tibialis anterior, peroneal longus, and peroneus brevis muscles were collected simultaneously. The results indicated that shoe collar heights did not influence the ankle inversion kinematics during landing. However, wearing high-top shoes resulted in a significant posterior onset time of the tibialis anterior and peroneus brevis muscles, and lowered the pre-landing EMG activation of ankle evertor muscles prior to foot contact during landing on the inverted surface.