Full Step Cycle Kinematic and Kinetic Comparison of Barefoot Walking and a Traditional Shoe Walking in Healthy Youth: Insights for Barefoot Technology.

Yi Xu,Travis Simpson,Qinghua Hou,Bradford C Bennett,Andrew J Sellers,Shawn D Russell,Chuhuai Wang

doi:10.1155/2017/2638908

Abstract

Objective Barefoot technology shoes are becoming increasingly popular, yet modifications are still needed. The present study aims to gain valuable insights by comparing barefoot walking to neutral shoe walking in a healthy youth population. Methods 28 healthy university students (22 females and 6 males) were recruited to walk on a 10-meter walkway both barefoot and in neutral running shoes at their comfortable walking speed. Full step cycle kinematic and kinetic data were collected using an 8-camera motion capture system. Results In the early stance phase, the knee extension moment (MK1), the first peak absorbed joint power at the knee joint (PK1), and the flexion angle of knee/dorsiflexion angle of the ankle were significantly reduced when walking in neutral running shoes. However, in the late stance, barefoot walking resulted in decreased hip joint flexion moment (MH2), second peak extension knee moment (MK3), hip flexors absorbed power (PH2), hip flexors generated power (PH3), second peak absorbed power by knee flexors (PK2), and second peak anterior-posterior component of joint force at the hip (APFH2), knee (APFK2), and ankle (APFA2). Conclusions These results indicate that it should be cautious to discard conventional elements from future running shoe designs and rush to embrace the barefoot technology fashion.

Highlights

IntroductionThe effectiveness of Minimalist Barefoot Technology (MBFT) shoes is somewhat ambiguous
The description of the Tarahumara Indian running tribe in the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall has inspired a renewed enthusiasm for barefoot running and led to an ongoing movement to simplify the inner structure of shoes and has boosted the development of Minimalist Barefoot Technology (MBFT) shoes, which are extremely flexible and have low heel to toe drop, weight, and stack height, that is, having little to no cushioning [1].the effectiveness of MBFT shoes is somewhat ambiguous
In a group of elderly women with knee osteoarthritis, Trombini-Souza et al [2] noticed that MBFT shoes possess the capability of reducing joint moment impulse in women with knee osteoarthritis and enhancing trunk muscle activities in a healthy population [3]

Summary

Introduction

The effectiveness of MBFT shoes is somewhat ambiguous. There are accumulating positive studies that favor the MBFT shoes. In a group of elderly women with knee osteoarthritis, Trombini-Souza et al [2] noticed that MBFT shoes possess the capability of reducing joint moment impulse in women with knee osteoarthritis and enhancing trunk muscle activities in a healthy population [3]. Negative effects of MBFT have been noticed. Examples included studies that found higher vertical forces of MBFT shoe walking [4]over walking with neutral running shoes or walking barefoot and that running in MBFT shoes increased the loads to the lower extremity, knee flexion/ dorsiflexion angle, average vertical component of ground reaction force [5], and Achilles tendon force [6] as compared

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion