The effect of footwear on mechanical behaviour of the human ankle plantar-flexors in forefoot runners.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To compare the ankle plantar-flexor muscle-tendon mechanical behaviour during barefoot and shod forefoot running.

Methods

Thirteen highly trained forefoot runners performed five overground steady-state running trials (4.5 ± 0.5 m.s-1) while barefoot and shod. Three-dimensional kinematic and ground reaction force data were collected and used as inputs for musculoskeletal modelling. Muscle-tendon behaviour of the ankle plantar-flexors (soleus; medial gastrocnemius; and lateral gastrocnemius) were estimated across the stance phase and compared between barefoot and shod running using a two-way multivariate analysis of variance.

Results

During barefoot running peak muscle-tendon unit (MTU) power generation was 16.5% (p = 0.01) higher compared to shod running. Total

SUBMITTER: Bonacci J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9484631 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature