THE EFFECT OF FOOT LANDING PROGRESSION ANGLE ON THE CENTER OF PRESSURE PATH DURING CUTTING

Abstract

The center of pressure path around the plantar surface of the foot during cutting provides continous information about the location of the ground reaction force applied on the foot. This information is useful not only to generate the ground reaction force moment, but also to estimate the muscle moment related to the center of the ankle joint. PURPOSE: To help understand how different foot landing progression angles influence the center of pressure path on the plantar surface of the foot during cutting. METHODS: Five subjects were selected to participant the study. Each participate performed 5 trials of barefoot cutting with three different foot landing progression angles (toe-in, neutral, and toe-out). For each condition, the subject's plantar surface of the right foot was painted with finger paint. An impression of the footmark would be left on the top surface of the force platform. After obtaining the ground reaction force data, the center of pressure paths were generated relative to the foot plantar surface. RESULTS: Compare to the neutral landing position, the toe-out condition demonstrated a lateral shift of the center of pressure path and resulted in an increased eversion force moment on the foot. Conversely, a medial shift of the center of pressure path was exhibited for the toe-in landing condition which caused an increase of inversion force moment on the foot. In order to counter balance the force moments around the foot-ankle complex, an inversion (medial compartment) muscle moment for the toe-out and an eversion (lateral compartment) muscle moment for the toe-in condition were expected to increase, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that foot landing progression angle affected the foot mechanics during cutting. Individuals predisposed to landing in a toe-in position may be most affected by potentially deleterious foot-ankle mechanics on the lateral muscle compartment, while individuals landing in a toe-out position may be most affected on the medical muscle compartment.