REARFOOT MOTION IN SOCCER PLAYERS WITH EXCESSIVE PRONATION UNDER FOUR EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS 266

Abstract

Soccer is a sport that includes running in several different directions. For this reason, it is important for the shoe to control the motion of the foot. This study was undertaken to compare rearfoot motion in high school soccer players with excessive pronation under the experimental conditions of barefoot (BF), experimental shoe (ESS), experimental shoe with arch support(ESSAS), and experimental shoe with pronated lacing technique (ESSPLT). Twenty male and female subjects with excessive pronation in both feet (n=40) as determined by navicular height and arch index foot tracings were selected for the study. All were fitted for new soccer shoes and allowed a 40 hr break-in period. Subjects were filmed with a 2D Peak Performance video system as they ran a specified course. Rearfoot motion was determined by rearfoot angle measurements from the point of foot flat to heel off. A repeated measures ANOVA and post hoc tests were used to determine differences among the experimental conditions. Results of the study indicated significant (p≤.05) differences between the conditions of BF and ESS, BF and ESSAS, BF and ESSPLT, and ESS and ESSPLT. It was concluded that the experimental shoe, the shoe with arch supports and the pronated lacing technique were more effective in controlling rearfoot motion than the barefoot condition. However, the shoe with the pronated lacing technique was superior to all in its effectiveness to control rearfoot motion.