Effects of Medial and Lateral Air Cell Inflation in Footwear on Lower Limb Joint Range of Motion and Muscle Activity During Treadmill Walking: A Crossover Study

PURPOSE: This study investigated the effects of medial and lateral air-cell placement in functional footwear on lower-extremity joint range of motion (ROM) and muscle activity during treadmill walking. METHODS:A randomized crossover design study with ten healthy young adults assessed the effects of an air-cell under three conditions, namely no air-cell, medial air-cell insertion, and lateral air-cell insertion.The ROMs of the hip and knee joints were measured using a wireless three-dimensional motion analysis system, and the activity of the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) and vastus lateralis (VL) was recorded using surface electromyography (sEMG).The differences in these parameters across conditions were