Effect of Shoe Type and Gender on Loading During a Jump Landing Task

Abstract

Metatarsal stress fractures are common in athletics, particularly in cleated sports. Previous work has shown plantar loading varies with footwear, gender, and the athletic task. Cleated shoes in particular significantly alter how the foot is loaded and potentially increase metatarsal stress fracture injury risk. PURPOSE: To determine if regional loading (total foot, medial midfoot-MMF; lateral midfoot-LMF; medial forefoot-MFF; middle forefoot-MidFF; lateral forefoot-LFF), maximum force (MF), contact area (CA), and force-time integral (FTI)) were significantly different by gender and between three different shoes during a landing task. METHODS: Plantar loading in 27 healthy recreational athletes (14 men, 13 women; 1.71 ± 0.09 m, 67.1 ± 10.6 kg, 22.1 ± 3.1 yrs) was evaluated using the Pedar-X in-shoe system collecting at 100Hz (Novel, St. Paul, MN, USA). Exclusions included a history of lower extremity injuries in the past 6 months and prior metatarsal stress fractures. Subjects completed 7 jumping-landing trials in a running shoe (RS), bladed cleat (BC), and turf cleat (TC) each while landing on astroturf. A series of 2 X 3 ANOVAS were used to examine differences between gender and the shoe conditions (α=0.05). RESULTS: There were no shoe by gender interactions. The MMF, LMF, MFF and the LFF FTI were significantly (p<0.03) greater in males. Total foot and MidFF MF was significantly (p<0.01) lower in the RS versus the BC and TC. MMF MF was significantly (p=0.02) lower in the BC versus the RS or TC. MFF and LFF MF were significantly (p<0.01) different between all shoe conditions (BC>TC>RS). Total foot CA was significantly (p=0.01) less in the BC when compared with the TC and RS. LFF CA was significantly (p=0.03) lower in the RS when compared with the BC and TC. MMF CA was greater in the RS (p<0.01) than BC or TC. MFF and LFF FTI were significantly (p<0.01) greater in BC versus RS or TC. MidFF FTI was significantly (p<0.01) less in the RS versus BC or TC. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of the shoe type, men and women load the foot differently when landing from a jump. The BC appears to load the forefoot more than the other shoe conditions and this could increase injury risk especially when compared with the RS. This difference should be considered when counseling athletes when they return to activity following metatarsal stress fractures.