EXERCISES AND NEUROMUSCULAR ELECTRIC STIMULATION FOR MEDIAL LONGITUDINAL ARCH: CLINICAL TRIAL

ABSTRACT Objective The extrinsic muscles, such as the posterior tibialis and long flexor of the hallux and the intrinsic of the foot, are part of the active subsystem of the central system of the foot and play an essential role in the control of the medial longitudinal arch resulting from difficulty in contracting the muscle, neuromuscular electrostimulation (NMES) becomes a resource combined with strengthening and recommended for rehabilitation. T this work aims to evaluate the effectiveness of NMES associated with exercise in deforming the medial longitudinal arch. Methods This is a randomized blind clinical trial. 60 asymptomatic participants were divided into three groups: NMES, exercise and control. The NMES and exercise group performed seven exercises for the intrinsic and extrinsic muscles twice a week for 6 weeks, and the NMES group used an NMES associated with five exercises. Navicular height and medial longitudinal arch angle were taken before and after the intervention period. Results No statistically significant differences existed between groups for navicular height and medial longitudinal arch angle. Conclusion NMES associated with exercise does not change the characteristics of the medial longitudinal arch in association with asymptomatic. Level of Evidence I; Randomized clinical trial.