Changes in the ankle muscle co-activation pattern after 5 years using ankle arthroplasty

The Hintegra® arthroplasty allows ankle movements at sagittal plane, and therefore contribute to restore gait. However, impairments still are observed after rehabilitation and could rely on neuromuscular activation. We determined the timing and amplitude of co-activation of the tibialis anterior and medial gastrocnemius muscles during gait in patients with ankle arthroplasty, 5 years after surgery. We found higher co-activation during gait after 5 years using Hintegra® prosthesis. This strategy may compensate ankle instabilities following arthroplasty and may significantly affect gait dynamics.