The signals were amplified (×1000) and filtered from 10 Hz to 1 kHz. Data was sampled at 2 kHz using a 1401Plus
analogue to digital converter and recorded using Spike2 software (Cambridge Electronic Design UK, version 5.29). The subjects attended a single laboratory session, and written informed consent was provided. Age, sex, height, weight and BMI were recorded. Leg dominance was determined using a modified TSA HDAC in vitro version of a test outlined in Vauhnik et al. (2008) by asking the following questions; i) which leg would you kick a football with ii) which leg would you squash a bug with and iii) asking the subject to draw a diamond in the air with their foot. The dominant leg was regarded as the one that was used for two or more of the three tasks. Surface EMG electrodes were placed on the gluteus medius (GM), rectus femoris (RF), semitendinosus (ST), tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) muscles of the dominant leg, and the ipsilateral erector spinae (ES) (Hermens et al., 1999). Briefly, GM was positioned 50% on the line from the iliac crest to the trochanter; RF 50% on the line from the anterior superior iliac spine to the superior part of the patella; ST 50% on the line between the ischial tuberosity and the medial condyle of the tibia; TA one third on the line between the tip of the
head of fibula and the tip of the medial malleolus; GSK-3 inhibitor GL one third on the line between the head of the fibula and the heel and; ES one finger width medial from the line from the posterior 17-DMAG (Alvespimycin) HCl superior iliac spine superior to the lowest point of the lower rib, at the level of L2. Two
ground electrodes were attached to the ulnar styloid process. Prior to electrode placement, the skin was cleaned with alcohol wipes and allowed to dry. The electrodes were orientated parallel to the muscle fibres, with an inter-electrode distance of 20 mm, and held in place with surgical tape. Maximum voluntary contractions (MVCs) were initially carried out for each muscle, as follows i) ES: The subject lay prone on a couch and extended their back, velcro straps resisted the lower legs and shoulders; ii) GM: The subject lay on their non-dominant side and abducted their dominant leg against resistance; iii) RF: The subject sat upright with their knees flexed at 90° with the ankle of the dominant leg restrained from extending, and attempted to extend their knee; iv) ST: in the same position, the ankle of the dominant leg was restrained from flexing, and the subject attempted to flex their knee; v) TA: The subject sat upright with their dominant leg in full extension and the foot restrained from dorsiflexion. The subject attempted to dorsiflex the ankle joint and; vi) GL: The subject stood on their dominant leg and attempted to rise up onto their toes while pressure was applied to their shoulders by the investigator. MVCs were performed for 3–5 s, three times for each muscle with a 10 s rest between efforts.