Peroneal Muscles Response to Expected and Unexpected Falls Among Young and Middle-aged Adults Before and After Neuromuscular Training

Peroneal Muscles Response to Expected and Unexpected Falls Among Young and Middle-aged Adults Before and After Neuromuscular Training: a Cross Sectional-controlled Trial

Proper functioning of the ankle musculature, specifically peroneal muscles, is crucial for maintaining balance and reducing the risk for falls. Evidence suggests that a decrease in aspects of neuromuscular control already starts at midlife (45-65 years). However, there is almost no information regarding the function of the ankle muscles at the middle-age as most experiments have compared young (<35 years) and older subjects (>65 years). Moreover, neuromuscular training can improve the function of ankle muscle in response to perturbation; yet, no previous study has compared the level of effectiveness between middle-aged and young adults.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Healthy Participants
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Electromyograph Biofeedback training of the peroneal muscle

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 50

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Shmuel Springer, Prof.; Phone Number: +972584572869; Email: shmuels@ariel.ac.il

Study Locations

• Israel
  • Ariel, Israel
    • Recruiting
    • Ariel University -The Neuromuscular & Human performance laboratory
    • Contact: Email: shmuels@ariel.ac.il
    • Principal Investigator: shmuel springer
    • Contact: Roee Hayek; Email: rh29493@gmail.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 20 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy participants- Twenty-five middle-aged (50-65years) and 25 young adults (20-35 years) will be recruited.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

- Healthy participants

Exclusion Criteria:

• Neurological disease accompanied by motor, sensory or cognitive impairment.
• Illness or condition that does not allow strenuous activity.
• Significant orthopedic injury to the back or lower limbs in the last six months, which limits strenuous activity or weight-bearing.
• History of orthopedic injury that includes injury to the knee or ankle ligaments.
• Taking medications that may affect stability or balance. Significant visual impairment that is not corrected using glasses/contact lenses
• Pregnancy

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Young adults; 18<age<35	Other: Electromyograph Biofeedback training of the peroneal muscle; The exercise will be performed with the subject sitting in front of a computer monitor, on an elevated chair, and his feet will be in the air. The examiner will ask the subject to perform a maximum contraction of the paronal muscles, in an open kinematic chain. After reference, the subject will begin a five-minute practice. The practice will be divided into rounds of: eight seconds of muscle work and 15 seconds rest.
Middle aged adults; 50<age<65	Other: Electromyograph Biofeedback training of the peroneal muscle; The exercise will be performed with the subject sitting in front of a computer monitor, on an elevated chair, and his feet will be in the air. The examiner will ask the subject to perform a maximum contraction of the paronal muscles, in an open kinematic chain. After reference, the subject will begin a five-minute practice. The practice will be divided into rounds of: eight seconds of muscle work and 15 seconds rest.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Time to stabilization	Subjects will be asked to jump from a 20 cm high box onto a force plate (i.e., expected fall).	Within 24 hours
Electromyography of peroneus longus- "The height of the amplitude"- expected fall	Subjects will be asked to jump from a 20 cm high box onto a force plate (i.e., expected fall). electromyography of peroneus longus will be measured the height of the amplitude - expresses the peak of the electrical activity of the muscles.	Within 24 hours
Electromyography of peroneus longus- "Time to Peak"- expected fall	Subjects will be asked to jump from a 20 cm high box onto a force plate (i.e., expected fall). electromyography of peroneus longus will be measured the "Time to Peak"- describes the time it takes for the Peroneus longus muscle to reach the peak of its electrical activity.	Within 24 hours
Electromyography of peroneus longus- "Time to Onset"- expected fall	Subjects will be asked to jump from a 20 cm high box onto a force plate (i.e., expected fall). electromyography of peroneus longus will be measured the "Time to Onset" - expresses the period that passes from the beginning of the fall to the initial recruitment of the Peroneus longus.	Within 24 hours
Electromyography of peroneus longus- "The height of the amplitude"-unexpected fall	Subjects will stand on a platform during a unilateral sudden 30° inversion platform perturbation that resembles an unexpected fall. electromyography of peroneus longus will be measured the "height of the amplitude" - expresses the peak of the electrical activity of the Peroneus longus muscle.	Within 24 hours
Electromyography of peroneus longus- "Time to Peak"-unexpected fall	Subjects will stand on a platform during a unilateral sudden 30° inversion platform perturbation that resembles an unexpected fall. electromyography of peroneus longus will be measured the "Time to Peak"- describes the time it takes for the Peroneus longus muscle to reach the peak of its electrical activity.	Within 24 hours
Electromyography of peroneus longus- "Time to Onset"-unexpected fall	Subjects will stand on a platform during a unilateral sudden 30° inversion platform perturbation that resembles an unexpected fall. electromyography of peroneus longus will be measured the "Time to Onset"- expresses the period that passes from the beginning of the fall to the initial recruitment of the Peroneus longos muscle.	Within 24 hours
Maximal voluntary isometric peroneal contraction force	Subject will perform Maximal voluntary isometric peroneal contraction. The force will measured with dynamometer	Within 24 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ariel University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): July 1, 2022
• Study Completion (Anticipated): July 1, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 21, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 8, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): August 16, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 16, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 8, 2021
• Last Verified: March 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: AU-HEA-SS-20210304:

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No