Effects of Different Type of Shoe Soles and Walking Speeds on AEMG of Walking-Related Muscles

Objective:To study the effects of shoe type and walking speed based on the rate between the height of heel and palm to AEMG of walking-related muscles,and provide scientific basis for developing various types of sport shoes that have health-care functions.Methods:10 healthy young males wear different shoes(negative heel shoes,flat shoes,middle-heeled shoes and boat shoes) with even speed(keep speed in 0.82 m/s and 1.64m/s).Surface electromyography signals were collected from right side erector spinal muscle,multifidus muscle,soleus muscle,tibialis anterior muscle,vastus lateralis quadriceps femoris muscle and medial gastrocnemius muscle and average EMG were calculated.Results:A two-factor analysis of variance showed that walking speed had significant effect on AEMG of all of the muscles and shoe soles had significant effect on AEMG of erector spinal muscle(F=5.52,P=0.002) and soleus muscle(F=4.26,P=0.008).There was no interaction between them.After multiple comparison,it was found that AEMG of erector spinal muscle was significantly higher while wearing boat shoes and negative heel shoes compared with wearing middle-heeled shoes and flat shoes while walking at a high speed.And AEMG of soleus muscle was higher while wearing boat shoes compared with wearing other three shoes while walking at a high speed.There was no significant difference on AEMG of all the muscles between shoes while walking at a low speed.AEMG of all of muscles was higher while walking at a high speed compared with walking at a low speed.Conclusion:The shoe sole type can change AEMG of related muscles while walking at a high speed.The reason could be that the change of shoe sole type caused the change of walking posture and control mode of neuromuscular activity.