Affiliations: [a] Physical Therapy Section, Korea Weightlifting Federation, Seoul, Korea | [b] Department of Physical Therapy, Bonifacio Hospital, Daejeon, Korea | [c] Department of Physical Therapy, College of Natural Science, Daejeon University, Daejeon, Korea | [d] Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Cheongju University, Chungbuk, Korea | [e] Department of Physical Therapy, The Graduate School, Daejeon University, Daejeon, Korea | [f] Department of Physical Therapy, The Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Duck-Won Oh, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Cheongju University, 298 Daeseong-ro, Sangdang-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk 360 764, Korea. Tel.: +82 43 229 8679; Fax: +82 43 229 8969; E-mail: odduck@cju.ac.kr
Abstract: Objective:This study aimed to determine the effect of walking speed on the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the rectus abdominis (RA) and erector spinae (ES) muscles during treadmill high-heeled walking at different shoe heel heights. Methods:Twenty-five young healthy women volunteered to participate in this study. The subjects performed treadmill walking at speeds of 3 km/h and 6 km/h for 30 seconds under 3 high-heeled conditions: barefoot, 3-cm heels, and 7-cm heels. Surface electromyography (EMG) data were collected from standard sites on the RA and ES muscles during treadmill walking. Results:For all heel heights, the EMG activity of the RA and ES muscles was significantly higher at the 6 km/h speed than at the 3 km/h speed (p < 0.05). Furthermore, EMG activity increased significantly with increasing shoe heel height, regardless of the walking speed (p < 0.05). Conclusion:These findings indicate that walking speed and shoe heel height may contribute to the increased activity of the trunk muscle during high-heeled walking. This study provides information for future studies performed with the aim of predicting possible changes in trunk muscle activity during high-heeled walking.
