Date of Award

Fall 12-1-2004

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Athletic Training

First Advisor

Jeffrey E. Edwards

Second Advisor

Marcus Stone

Third Advisor

Timothy Demchak

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of muscle vibration on the threshold frequency of an electrically-induced muscle cramp of the flexor hallucis brevis. Design and setting: This study used a 2 x 2 factorial design study. The independent variables consisted of treatment ( control and vibration) and time (pretest and post-test). The dependent variable was the threshold frequency of an electrically induced muscle cramp. Subjects: 16 healthy individuals, aged 21.6 ± 8.0 years, free from any lower extremity neurological, muscular, or vascular pathology were used in this study. Methods: Subjects reported on three consecutive days for testing. Day 1 consisted of an introductory session in which a cramp was induced in the flexor hallucis brevis. Days 2 and 3 were random assignment of treatment order in which the subject had a cramp induced followed by a rest and control session on one day and a rest and vibration session on the other day. Each of these treatments was followed by another cramp induction. Measurements: Measurements were taken of EMG data that was collected pre-treatment, treatment, and post-treatment. Threshold frequency to cramp was recorded pre-treatment and post-treatment. Cramp was determined by subject report, great toe flexion, and EMG data. Results: A 2 x 2 fully repeated ANOVA showed no condition x test interaction. Treatment (Fus= 0.190, P = 0.669, 1-~ = 0.069), test (Fus = 0.080, P = 0.669781, 1-~ = 0.058), and treatment by test (F1.1s = 0.364, P = 0.555, 1-~ = 0.087). Conclusions: This study is novel because it is the first study conducted in which vibration's effects on muscle spindles was used to simulate one component of neuromuscular fatigue with respect to cramp. This study did not show a difference between the threshold frequency of the control session and the vibration session for the parameters used. Further research is warranted with adjustments made to the parameters used in this study.

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