The plantar reflex is one of most important and widely tested components of the neurological examination. We describe 3 subjects with Klippel-Feil syndrome and mirror movements where unilateral cutaneous stimulation of the foot leads to flexor plantar responses in both feet. We discuss the evidence which suggests that this "crossed flexor" plantar response reveals a transcortical pathway for th...

Muscle volume is known to correlate with maximal joint torque in humans, but the role of muscle moment arm in determining maximal torque is less clear. Moderate correlations have been reported between maximal isometric knee extensor torque and knee extensor moment arm, but no such observations have been made for the ankle joint. It has been suggested that smaller muscle moment arms may enhance ...

OBJECTIVE Previous studies have demonstrated that ankle muscle fatigue alters postural sway. Our aim was to better understand postural control mechanisms during upright stance following plantar flexor fatigue. METHOD Ten healthy young volunteers, 25.7±2.2 years old, were recruited. Foot center-of-pressure (CoP) displacement data were collected during narrow base upright stance and eyes closed...

OBJECTIVE To determine if the level of effort in paretic plantar flexors during gait could be a factor in explaining locomotor asymmetry. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS Twenty individuals with chronic stroke (mean age 49.4 years (standard deviation 13.2). METHODS Participants walked on a split-belt treadmill for 3 periods: baseline at self-selected speed; adaptation with the belt ...

Poststroke plantar flexor muscle weakness has been attributed to muscle atrophy and impaired activation, which cannot collectively explain the limitations in force-generating capability of the entire muscle group. It is of interest whether changes in poststroke plantar flexor muscle fascicle length and pennation angle influence the individual force-generating capability and whether plantar flex...

Limited plantar flexor strength and hip extension range of motion (ROM) in older adults are believed to underlie common age-related differences in gait. However, no studies of age-related differences in gait have quantified the percentage of strength and ROM used during gait. We examined peak hip angles, hip torques and plantar flexor torques, and corresponding estimates of functional capacity ...

Flexor digitorum brevis is an intrinsic muscle of the sole of the foot that lies immediately superior to the central part of the plantar aponeurosis and inferior to the tendons of flexor digitorum longus. Its flat spindle shaped muscle belly arises as a thin tendon from the medial process of tuber calcanei, proximal part of plantar aponeurosis, intermuscular septa and other adjacent fascial lay...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Limited ankle plantar-flexor moments and power during walking have been documented in several patient populations and are believed to contribute to gait deviations. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of plantar-flexor peak torque (PFPT) and dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM) to peak ankle moments and power during walking in a group of subj...

[Purpose] The effectiveness of intrinsic foot flexor strength training performed in the plantar flexion position was examined using needle electromyography. [Subjects] The subjects of this study were 18 healthy men. [Methods] We used needle electromyography to measure the muscle activities of the flexor hallucis brevis (FHB), and the flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) in maximum plantar and an inter...

BACKGROUND Disruption of the plantar plate of the lesser metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints leads to significant instability. Despite the fact that plantar plate disorders are common, the best mode of treatment remains controversial with operative treatments having variable and somewhat unpredictable clinical outcomes. METHODS Lesser MTP joints from the second, third, and fourth toes from fresh...