Proprioceptive exercise with bosu maximizes electromyographic activity of the ankle muscles

Ankle sprains are commonly related to sporty activities and often associated with decreases in sensorimotor control, including proprioception, muscle strength and balance. The use of unstable surfaces in the fields of rehabilitation and general fitness has been shown to be effective in increasing the sensory efficiency of soft tissues that stabilize the knee and ankle as well as improving the agonist-antagonist co-contraction. The aim of this study was to analyze the EMG activity of the ankle muscles - the tibialis anterior (TA), peroneus longus (PL) and medial head of the gastrocnemius (GM) during proprioceptive exercises using the BOSU compared to other devices traditionally used (balance platform, trampoline and proprioceptive disk). Eleven male volunteers were recruited and data collection was performed using single differential surface electrodes. The EMG signal was recorded and expressed as root mean square, which was normalized by the maximum voluntary isometric contraction. The data were subjected to parametric statistical analysis, using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures. The results showed that the BOSU provided greater activity in the ankle muscles than the most proprioceptive devices, accordingly, the BOSU is a device that should be employed to diversify programs of prevention/rehabilitation for lower limb injuries, preferentially in advanced stages of these approaches.