The effect of hip abductor fatigue on static balance and gait parameters

Abstract

Objective: Hip abductors play a role in providing stability and movement to the lower limbs. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of hip abductor fatigue on static balance and gait in the general population. Design: One group pre-test post-test design. Methods: Thirteen university students in their twenties volunteered for the study and had underwent a functional assessment. To induce fatigue, the subjects were instructed to raise their dominant lower extremity up against a load of 50% of 1 repetition maximum while producing hip abduction in a side-lying position. Subjects were instructed to maintain an abduction speed of 30 repetitions per minute to induce fatigue. Muscle fatigue was considered to be established when subjects were unable to perform hip abduction three consecutive times along with the metronome. A post-test of balance and gait was performed immediately in order to prevent fatigue recovery. The center of pressure (COP) distance area was measured using the Zebris FDM-S Multifunction Force measuring plate. Gait performance was analyzed using the GAITRite. Results: The COP distance was increased after fatigue was induced. There was a significant increase in the standard deviation of the medio-lateral and antero-posteror distance (p<0.05). Although there was no significant difference in gait parameters, there was a significant decrease in single support time after fatigue was induced (p<0.05). Conclusions:There was an increase in static balance instability and a significant decrease in single support time during gait due to hip abductor muscle fatigue.

Fatigue-Induced Inter-Limb Asymmetries in Strength of the Hip Stabilizers, Postural Control and Gait Following a Unilateral Countermovement Vertical Jump Protocol

“…Previous studies have shown a significant increase in gait parameters, such as the single support time, stride time variability and step-to-step asymmetry in the frontal plane, as well as significantly slower mediolateral trunk movement in fatigued leg late stance toward the non-fatigued leg during fatiguing gait [19,20]. However, these changes have been observed only after locally fatiguing the abductor muscles of the hip [19,20]. Failure to find differences in the present study between the limbs in gait parameters may be due to the reorganization of multi-joint coordination and the redistribution of active muscle activity in such a way as to compensate for muscle dysfunction caused by muscle fatigue [53].…”

“…Finally, the inter-limb differences for both spatio-temporal and strength-related parameters recorded during the support-phase-of-gait were not significant following performance of the UCVJ fatigue protocol. Previous studies have shown a significant increase in gait parameters, such as the single support time, stride time variability and step-to-step asymmetry in the frontal plane, as well as significantly slower mediolateral trunk movement in fatigued leg late stance toward the non-fatigued leg during fatiguing gait [19,20]. However, these changes have been observed only after locally fatiguing the abductor muscles of the hip [19,20].…”

“…Clinically, these injuries can be justified by the fact that muscle dysfunction of proximally located lower limb joints, such as the hip joint, may require compensation of a more distal joint that is linked in series within the same kinetic chain, compromising the function of the entire lower limb [15]. Experimentally, it has been shown that fatigue-induced muscle weakness of certain hip stabilizers (e.g., hip abductors) can compromise the function of the ipsilateral lower limb by altering the unipedal lower limb kinematics (e.g., medial knee displacement) [16,17], postural control [18,19], and hip position sense [20], as well as the gait parameters [19,20]. Other authors using a more "functional" fatigue protocol on lower limb muscles such as unilateral semi squats and a combination of single-limb plyometric drills and squats revealed impaired postural control [18,21] and a lack of absorbing the ground reaction forces following landing on the ipsilateral lower limb [22].…”

Transient effects of jumping lunge on sand on balance ability in healthy adults: a preliminary study

“…The whole process took less than 5 minutes. If the subjects moved their arms to maintain balance, swayed in any side more than 10 degrees, or took their hands off their chest, opposite leg touched the ground, the measurement was performed again [14].…”