Abstract
Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of surface stiffness on multisegment foot kinematics and temporal parameters during running. Methods Eighteen male subjects ran on three different surfaces (i.e., concrete, artificial grass, and rubber) in both heeled running shoes (HS) and minimal running shoes (MS). Both these shoes had dissimilar sole profiles. The heeled shoes had a higher sole at the heel, a thick base, and arch support, whereas the minimal shoes had a flat base sole. Indeed, the studied biomechanical parameters responded differently in the different footwear during running. Subjects ran in recreational mode speed while 3D foot kinematics (i.e., joint rotation and peak medial longitudinal arch (MLA) angle) were determined using a motion capture system (Qualysis, Gothenburg, Sweden). Information on stance time and plantar fascia strain (PFS) was also collected. Results Running on different surface stiffness was found to significantly affect the peak MLA angles and stance times for both HS and MS conditions. However, the results showed that the joint rotation angles were not sensitive to surface stiffness. Also, PFS showed no relationship with surface stiffness, as the results were varied as the surface stiffness was changed. Conclusion The surface stiffness significantly contributed towards the effects of peak MLA angle and stance time. These findings may enhance the understanding of biomechanical responses on various running surfaces stiffness in different shoe conditions.
Highlights
Running is a popular activity that has been connected to various clinical benefits [1]
Surface stiffness was found to significantly affect the peak medial longitudinal arch (MLA) angle during heeled running shoes (HS) running, where the highest peak MLA angle was obtained on a concrete surface, followed by artificial grass and rubber surfaces (p > 0:1), whereas there was no significant difference in the peak MLA angle during minimal running shoes (MS) running on all surfaces
The present study provided additional insights on multisegment measurements of foot adaptation response during running with two different running shoes on different degrees of surface hardness
Summary
Running is a popular activity that has been connected to various clinical benefits [1]. Based on analyses of etiology, running is associated with increased risk of major chronic injuries among runners [2]. Any misalignment of the foot segment during running especially in the stance phase may contribute to foot and ankle injury, which is implicated in the etiology of the injury [3]. Foot misalignment that causes joint twisting can lead to inflammation of the ligament, such as plantar fascia. Plantar fascia inflammation contributes to plantar fasciitis, which is a known common injury for runners. Foot injuries that have occurred can be evaluated by kinematic or kinetic measurement. The progression of several pathologies, such as tibial stress syndrome or Achilles tendonitis, has been related to excessive coronal and/or transverse plane motion of the foot, which were identified using kinematic measurement [4]
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