Effects of Insole-Type Device with Controllable Ankle Joint Angle on the Peroneus Longus Muscle During Foot Stomping Motion

In recent years, the aging of society has become a serious problem, especially in developed countries. Walking is an important factor in improving the quality of life of not only the elderly but also young and healthy people of all ages. Against this background, an insole-type device that can control the ankle joint angle during heel contact was developed. The heel part of the device is tilted to the right by the rotation of a stepping motor, and the inertial sensor inside the device maintains the heel in a horizontal position at all times. In this study, we focus on the effects of using this device on muscle activity. Therefore, it is verified by analyzing the timing of the maximum exertion of the peroneus longus muscle in five healthy male subjects during foot-stomping motion using a surface electromyography system. The experimental results showed that the timing of the peroneus longus muscle exertion was improved by foot stomping with the proposed device compared to normal walking.