Abstract
BackgroundAlthough the studies of barefoot running have intensified, it is still missing longitudinal work analyzing the effects of barefoot running on the phases of plantar support. The objective of this research was to analyze the modifications undergone by the Total Foot Contact (TFC) phase and its Flat Foot Phase (FFP) in subjects beginning the practice of barefoot running, in its acute and chronic effects.MethodsA total of 28 subjects were divided into the Barefoot Group (BFGr) (n = 16) and the Shod Group (SHGr) (n = 12), evaluated before (Baseline) and after running for 20 min at 3.05 m·s−1 (Post 20 min Running), and at the end of a running training protocol with an 8-week long progressive volume (Post-8-week Training). The dynamic plantar support was measured with a baropodoscope. The duration of TFC (ms), the moment at which the FFP occurred, the maximum surface of TFC (MSTFC) (cm2), the FFP surface (SFFP) (cm2), the peak pressure of TFC (PP°TFC) (kg·cm−2), and the peak pressure of FFP (PP°FFP) (kg·cm−2) were recorded. The 3 × 2 ANOVA analysis was made to determine the effects and interactions that the condition produced (Shod/Barefoot), and the time factor (Baseline/Post 20 min Running/Post-8-week Training).ResultsThe condition factor caused more significant effects than the time factor in all the variables. Duration of TFC in BFGr showed significant differences between the Baseline and Post-8-week Training (p = 0.000) and between Post-20-min Running and Post-8-week Training (p = 0.000), with an increasing trend. In the moment at which the FFP occurred a significant increase (p = 0.029) increase was found in Post-20 min Running (48.5%) compared to the Baseline (42.9%). In MSTFC, BFGr showed in Post-8-week Training values significantly higher than the Baseline (p = 0.000) and than Post-20-min Running (p = 0.000). SHGr presented a significant difference between the Baseline and Post-8-week Training (p = 0.040). SFFP in BFGr modified its values with an increasing trend (p = 0.000). PP°TFC in BFGr showed a significant decrease (p = 0.003) in Post-8-week Training (1.9 kg·cm−2) compared to the Baseline (2.4 kg·cm−2). In PP°FFP significant decreases were recorded in BFGr and between Post-8-week Training and Baseline (p = 0.000), and Post-8-week Training and Post 20 min Running (p = 0.035).ConclusionsThe adaptation took place after the 8-week training. The adaptations to running barefoot were characterized by causing an increase of the foot’s plantar support in TFC and in FFP, as well as a decrease of the plantar pressure peak in both phases. Also, there is an increased duration of the TFC and FFP, which may be related to an acquired strategy to attenuate the impacts of the ground’s reaction forces.
Highlights
Endurance running is one of the ways of practicing physical activity that has more adepts in the world, reaching 55 million practitioners only in the United States (Statista, 2018)
The objective of this research was to analyze the modifications undergone by the Total Foot Contact (TFC) phase and its Flat Foot Phase (FFP) in subjects beginning the practice of barefoot running, in its acute and chronic effects
The objective of this research was to analyze the modifications undergone by TFC and its FFP of young subjects beginning their practice of barefoot running, in its acute and chronic effect (20 min vs. 8 weeks training of Barefoot Running (BFR))
Summary
Endurance running is one of the ways of practicing physical activity that has more adepts in the world, reaching 55 million practitioners only in the United States (Statista, 2018). The above has opened the plantar support pattern study focus during endurance running, with several studies stating that when the runners set their forefoot in the first contact with the ground, the recorded GRF values are smaller (Daoud et al, 2012). The first studies (Bramble & Lieberman, 2004; Lieberman, 2006) theorized from an evolutionary approach, stating that the human foot evolved after adopting the bipedal position, achieved by Australopithecus afarensis about 2.2 million years ago (Susman, 1983) This led to an interesting debate when it was stated that endurance running was a key factor in the evolution of modern human beings and that during its practice for transportation and hunting reasons there was no mediation of shoes to get the current foot of Homo sapiens (Bramble & Lieberman, 2004). The adaptations to running barefoot were characterized by causing an increase of the foot’s plantar support in TFC and in FFP, as well as a decrease of the plantar pressure peak in both
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
