Comparison of In-shoe Foot Loading Patterns Between Training And Spike Shoes In Young Athletes During Sprint Running

Abstract

PURPOSE: To examine the differences in in-shoe loading patterns between training and spike shoes during sprint running in young athletes. METHODS: Eleven athletes (15.4 ± 1.7 yrs, 52.7 ± 14.1 kg, 164.2 ±9.3 cm) performed 60 m maximal sprint on an athletics track with training and spike shoes in a randomized order. Contact area and mean area (CA and Amean, in cm2), maximum and mean force (Fmax and Fmean, in N), peak and mean pressure (PP and Pmean in kPa) and relative load (RL in %) were measured in nine regions of the right foot (medial heel M1, lateral heel M2, medial mid-foot M3, lateral mid-foot M4, medial forefoot M5, central forefoot M6, lateral forefoot M7, hallux M8 and lesser toes M9) and for the whole foot (T). For examining the loading patterns data of 13–14 steps during the last 30 m was averaged from several trials by electronic insoles inserted into the right shoe. The running times for the last 30m were measured by timing gates. RESULTS: Running times were not significantly different between the training and spike shoes (3.88 ± 0.35 vs. 3.73 ± 0.30 s, respectively). However, CA in T (148.6 ± 26.3 vs. 140.2 ± 26.0 cm2, P = 0.01) and Amean in M8 (9.4 ± 1.3 vs. 8.8 ± 1.5 cm2, P < 0.01) and M9 (16.7± 1.9 vs. 16.0 ± 1.9 cm2, P = 0.01) were smaller with spike shoes. Spike shoes induced also higher loading in midfoot and forefoot area (Fmax: M4 +34.5%; M5 +35.8%; M6 +36.4% and M7 +13.4%, Fmean; M5 +25.9% and M6 +34.4%, Pmean; M3 +28.7%, M4 +32.3, M5 +38%, M6 +37.8% and M7 +14.5% and PP in T; 533.9 vs.421.8 N, p< 0.001) but lower loading under the toes (−14.7%, −9.6% and −15.1% for Fmax, Pmean and F in M9, respectively) as compared to the training shoes. Similarly, the RL was higher in forefoot area (M5: +15.5%, P < 0.05 and M6: +19.8%, P < 0.001) but smaller under the toes (−10.3%, P = 0.06 and −21.5% P < 0.001 in M8 and M9, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that wearing spike shoes significantly increases plantar loading under midfoot and forefoot during sprint running, when compared to running shoes. More specifically, due to the decrease in overall CA and the simultaneous increase in force and pressure in M5 and M6, higher loads are applied on central forefoot, mainly under the 1st and the 2nd metatarsal heads.