Comparison of the electromyography activity of selected leg-dominant lower limb muscles during stance phase of running on treadmill and overground

Abstract

The aim of present study was to compare electromyography activity of selected leg-dominant lower limb muscles during stance phase of running on treadmill and overground. Fourteen male students were selected as the available statistical sample. The multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures (MANOVA) was used to compare the normalized RMS activation of selected lower limb muscles between running surfaces in each of two phases: initial 50% and terminal 50% of stance phase. The results of this study showed a significant difference in total activity of selected lower limb muscles between the two surfaces for initial 50% stance phase (P lt;0.05); so that while running on the gym surface muscle activation level of rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and biceps femoris was significantly higher than while running on the treadmill surface (P lt;0.05). Although no significant difference in the lower limb muscle activation level was observed for the terminal 50% of stance phase between the two surfaces (P gt;0.05), while running on the gym muscle activation level of rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and lateral gastrocnemius was significantly higher than while running on a treadmill (P lt;0.05). According to these results, instrumented treadmills may be possibly useful in the designation of specific training programs for injured persons to reduce the activity level of lower extremity muscles.

Keywords

• lower limb muscles
• electromyography
• treadmill