Abstract
This study examined the relationships between the foot bone morphologies and sprint performance in sprinters. Foot images in 56 male sprinters obtained using magnetic resonance imaging. The relative lengths of the forefoot bones of the big and second toes, which were calculated as total lengths of the forefoot bones for each toe normalized to the foot length, correlated significantly with personal best 100-m sprint time (r = − 0.293 and − 0.459, both Ps < 0.05). The relative lengths of the rearfoot talus and calcaneus normalized to the foot length also correlated significantly with the sprint performance (r = − 0.378 and − 0.496, both Ps < 0.05). Furthermore, the relative height of the calcaneus, but not the talus, normalized to body height correlated significantly with sprint performance (r = − 0.690, P < 0.001). Additionally, the relative calcaneus height correlated significantly with the foot arch height index (r = 0.420, P = 0.001), and the foot arch height index correlated significantly with sprint performance (r = − 0.517, P < 0.001). These findings suggest that the taller calcaneus may be a key morphological factor for achieving superior sprint performance, potentially via modeling the longer forefoot and rearfoot bones and functional foot morphology in sprinters.
Highlights
This study examined the relationships between the foot bone morphologies and sprint performance in sprinters
The magnitude of joint torque is primarily determined by the agonist muscle size[4,5]; greater plantar flexor muscle may be related to superior sprint performance in sprinters
Despite the fact that the relationship between the plantar flexor muscle size and sprint performance in sprinters has been inconsistently remained among the results of previous studies[6,7,8,9,10], we and others reported the absence of this relationship[6,9,10]
Summary
This study examined the relationships between the foot bone morphologies and sprint performance in sprinters. The relative calcaneus height correlated significantly with the foot arch height index (r = 0.420, P = 0.001), and the foot arch height index correlated significantly with sprint performance (r = − 0.517, P < 0.001) These findings suggest that the taller calcaneus may be a key morphological factor for achieving superior sprint performance, potentially via modeling the longer forefoot and rearfoot bones and functional foot morphology in sprinters. Using computer simulation, Lee and Piazza[12] determined that a longer forefoot contributes to the production of greater plantar flexor torque during the push-off phase while sprinting Given their findings, we demonstrated that longer forefoot bones correlated with better sprint performance in sprinters[13,14]. Raichlen et al.[15] reported a positive correlation between the plantar flexor MA and the calcaneus length Considering these findings, shorter rearfoot bones, especially the calcaneus, may be a required characteristic for achieving superior sprinter performance in sprinters. The first hypothesis of the present study was that longer, rather than shorter, rearfoot bones, especially the calcaneus, would be related to better sprint performance in sprinters
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