The effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on muscle reaction time and strength in HEALTHY individuals

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) applied to the peroneal muscle group on muscle reaction time and strength in healthy volunteers without functional ankle instability. Twenty-four recreational athletes without functional ankle instability were randomly assigned to the ESWT (n = 12) and control (n = 12) groups. A total of 4 sessions of ESWT were applied to the volunteers in the ESWT group, repeated every 4-5 days. At the beginning and end of the study, the ankle was brought abruptly from neutral 0° and 20° plantar flexion starting positions to 15° and 30° inversion angles on the inversion simulation platform, and the reaction time of the tibialis anterior and peroneus longus muscles was measured by electromyographic measurement. In addition, the strength of the inverter-evertor muscle groups were measured with an isokinetic dynamometer in the healthy volunteers without functional ankle instability. One week after the sessions were completed, all the volunteers participating in the study were re-administered the initial tests. In the initial measurements, no significant difference was found between the two groups in the reaction times of both the tibialis anterior and peroneus longus muscles (p>0.05). There was no significant change in peroneus longus and tibialis anterior muscle reaction times from neutral (0°) and 20° plantar flexion position to 15° and 30° inversion in the ESWT group (p>0.05). Similarly, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in the isometric strength measurement results after the application compared to the pre-application (p>0.05). v When these findings are evaluated, it can be said that ESWT application to the evertor muscles in healthy individuals does not have a positive effect on muscle reaction time and strength. In addition, it can be said that it does not cause a risky situation in terms of muscle strength and reaction time when used in rehabilitation programs for various muscle injuries, since it does not cause a significant prolongation of muscle reaction time and does not reduce muscle strength.