Effect of conscious heel contact in a gait exercise on hip abductor muscles of patients with hip diseases

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of PWB gait exercise which involves conscious heel contact on the hip abductor muscle of patients with hip diseases. [Subjects] The subjects were 10 patients who underwent surgery as well as 10 healthy females as the control group. [Methods] The grade of muscle activity of the gluteus medius in gait exercise without conscious heel contact, and with conscious heel contact werecompared using integrated EMG analysis and wavelet frequency analysis. [Results] The degree of muscle activity in the gluteus medius of patients were significantly increased by gait exercise with conscious heel contact. [Conclusion] Gait exercise with conscious heel contact could become an effective method for quantitative and qualitative training of the hip abductor muscle. © 2012, The Society of Physical Therapy Science. All rights reserved.