Effect of Graded Knee Brace on Amplitude of Electrical Muscle Activity in Individuals with Genu Valgus during Walking

Walking takes place during the first years of life. It develops at about age 7 and stays the same until 60. This activity is affected by factors such as a genu valgus. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of knee brace on the electrical activity of muscles in individuals with genu valgus during walking.

A total of 15 male individuals with genu valgus (age: 25.03±3.026 years; height 1.76± 0.06 cm; weight 83.35±1.10 kg, and body mass index of 30.23±3.45 kg /m2) volunteered to participate in the study. Walking was done in two stages without knee brace and with knee brace. A wireless electromyography system (biometrics ltd, uk) was used to record the electrical activity of the muscles. Paired t-test was used for statistical analysis. All analyses were carried out at the significant level of 0.05.

The findings of the present study showed a significant decrease in the electrical activity of the gluteus medius muscle during the heel contact, mid stance, and push off phases (p < 0.05). Also the electrical activity of the vastus medialis (d=1.52; P=0.001), vastus lateralis (d=1.16; P = 0.009), and semitendinosus muscles (d=1.85; P=0.001) showed a significant decrease during the stance phase.

Significant decrease in electromyographical activity of quadriceps and gluteus medius muscles during wearing of brace may be due to improved walking efficiency in individuals with genu valgus.