Electromyographic Study of Lower Limb Muscles When Walking on Carpets

Abstract

The characteristics of walking on carpets were inverstigated from the view point of lower limb muscle activities. Electromyograms of Musculus rectus femoris, M. tibialis anterior, M. gastrocnemius, and hamstring muscles of twelve female college students were recorded during the natrual walking on four kind of carpets-nylon loop pile carpet with or without jute underlay, wool cut pile carpet with or without jute underlay-and PVC tiles. The beginning point, the end point, and the duration of each muscle contraction were analysed by F-test, and it was found that the differences among the subjects were larger than those among the carpets. Similarly to our previous conclusion, it is concluded that the natural walking is not changed by the kinds of carpets from the view point of lower limb muscle activities and ground reaction forces.