Morphological and Functional Effects of a Foot Strengthening Protocol

François Fourchet

Status: Completed

Conditions: Foot Strength Deficit

Treatments: Procedure: La Tour Hospital Foot Strengthening Protocol; Procedure: Standard Literature Foot Strengthening Protocol

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05216692

2021-D0041

Details and patient eligibility

About

The principal aim of this study is to investigate the effects of a four-week foot strenghtening protocol combining active voluntary exercises and assisted-active voluntary exercises by neuromuscular electrical stimulation on hallux toe flexion strength in comparison to a standard foot strengthening protocol in a healthy adult recreational active population.

The secondary objectives of the study are to investigate the effects of this protocol on lesser toes flexor strength, foot morphology deformation in one, two and three dimensions and kinetic parameters when walking and running.

Enrollment: 28 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Level of weekly physical activity (recreational activity and regular non-competitive runners : at least 1 running session per week)

Exclusion criteria

• History of pain or episodes of foot or ankle sprains during the past 6 months;
• Foot or leg fractures during the past year;
• Severe deformity of the foot or leg;
• Self-declared disability due to neuromuscular impairment of the lower limbs;
• Neurological or vestibular deficit that could hinder balance (diabetes mellitus, radiculopathie lumbosacral, soft tissue disorder such as Marfan or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome) ;
• Any absolute contraindication to neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) (cardiac pacemaker, epileptic disorders, pregnancy defibrillator);
• Participation in an exercise program specifically designed to strengthen the ankle or foot during the last 6 months

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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28 participants in 2 patient groups

Experimental group

Experimental group

Description:

The foot strengthening protocol will last 4 weeks with 2 sessions per week and is composed of 3 exercises targeting forefoot and midfoot region strength as well as enhancing plyometric capabilities of the foot complex.

Treatment:

Procedure: La Tour Hospital Foot Strengthening Protocol

Control group

Active Comparator group

Description:

The standard literature foot strengthening protocol will last 4 weeks with 3 sessions per week and is composed of one exercise targeting the strength of the foot medial arch.

Treatment:

Procedure: Standard Literature Foot Strengthening Protocol