The Effect of Microcurrent Application on Muscle Fatigue of Pes Planus during Gait

미세전류 적용이 편평족을 가진 사람들의 보행근육 피로도에 미치는 영향

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of microcurrent on fatigue of muscles in people who were flat-footed during gait. Methods: 10 flat-footed university students volunteered to participate in this study. 10 flat-footed subjects were divided into 2 groups, one group was experimental group of 5subjects(This group put on microcurrent induction shoes but the subjects were not able to feel the current.) and the other group was the control group of 5subjects(This group put on the general shoes which were similar in shape but microcurrent was not induced.) to perform double blind test and random sampling. Their gait muscle fatigue of 6 regions (vastus medialis, gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior, biceps femoris, erector spinae, and rectus abdominis muscle.) was measured by EMG MP150, Delsys Inc Boston, USA during walking and then they carried out the Harvard step with a platform (It was a arbitrarily made wooden platform of 100cm long, 50cm wide, 60cm high. They carried out climbing it for one second and descending it for one second by using the Metronome program, total 5minutes) for 5minutes. Right after that, the subjects walked on a treadmill at a speed of 4km/h for 10minutes and then their gait muscle fatigue of 6regions was assessed while they were walking on the ground as equally as before exercise. Results: The experimental group has resulted in lower average differences in gait muscle fatigue before and after exercise than those of the control group average 12.24Hz(P=0.009) at vastus medialis, average 8.52Hz(P=0.016) at gastrocnemius, average 9.16Hz(P=0.009) at tibialis anterior, average 8.66Hz(P=0.047) at biceps femoris, average 7.53Hz(P=0.016) at erector spinae, and average 7.80Hz(P=0.047) at rectus abdominis. All of the assessments of muscles have shown significant difference statistically. Conclusions: This result has shown that the use of micro current could decrease gait muscle fatigue of flat-footed people. It is recommended to use a microcurrent to reduce their gait muscle fatigue.