The influence of midsole thickness on running turns

Abstract

Running race courses typically feature numerous turns, an element of a race typically neglected. If a thick midsole were to decrease frontal plane ankle stability, it could potentially lead to a misalignment of lower limb joints, thereby affecting turn running and overall race performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the influence of midsole thickness on turn running performance and peak frontal plane ankle angle. Thirteen recreational athletes participated in this study, which examined the effects of two footwear conditions: one with a 35-mm thick midsole and the other with a 50-mm thick midsole. Participants performed ten running trials around each of three turns of radii 3, 6 and 9 m. No significant differences were found between footwear conditions with respect to time to completion (p = 0.028), centre of mass velocity (p = 0.179) or frontal plane ankle angle (p = 0.935) across any of the three turns. These findings would suggest footwear manufactures need not consider the impact of midsole thickness on turn running performance when designing advanced footwear technology (AFT) and consumers need not avoid a substantial stack height when purchasing running shoes.