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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

  • Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
  • Abbr : J Korean Soc Phys Med
  • 2026, 21(2), pp.101~109
  • Publisher : The Korean Society of Physical Medicine
  • Research Area : Medicine and Pharmacy > Physical Therapy > Other physical therapy
  • Received : January 19, 2026
  • Accepted : February 23, 2026
  • Published : May 31, 2026

Ju-Hak Kim 1,  Ming-Yu Tian 2,  배명숙 3,  Kim Meung Kwon ORD ID 1

1대구대학교
2대구대
3ASSM KOREA

Accredited

ABSTRACT

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 analyzed using the Friedman test with Wilcoxon signed-rank post hoc tests and the Bonferroni correction. RESULTS:No significant differences were observed in hip or knee joint ROM among the three conditions (p > .05). In contrast, activity of both the VMO and VL differed significantly according to placement of the air-cell (p < .05). Air-cells placed medially and laterally produced opposing activation patterns between the VMO and VL, indicating altered neuromuscular control strategies around the knee joint. CONCLUSION: Air-cell placement in footwear influences neuromuscular responses without inducing immediate changes in joint kinematics during short-term treadmill walking. These findings suggest that footwear with air cells may affect functional knee stability by altering muscle activation patterns rather than joint motion. It is important to consider neuromuscular responses alongside kinematic variables when designing functional footwear for gait training or corrective interventions.

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