Foot Pronation Contributes to Altered Lower Extremity Loading After Long Distance Running (original) (raw)
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Factors affecting lower extremity loading during running
Objective: The purpose of this study was to systematically alter the knee flexion at contact as runners land from running off of a platform and to document how this angle affects both the impact force and impact acceleration. The platform was used for its similarity to downhill running. Participants: Five male and five female participants volunteered to complete ten trials in each of four conditions. Interventions: Normal running (NR), normal running off a raised platform (NRP), flexed knee running off a raised platform (FRP), and extended knee running off a raised platform (ERP). Main outcome measurements: Kinematic data, ground reaction forces, leg and head acceleration data were collected. Results: Running off a raised platform increased peak impact forces (NR: 1147±171N; NRP: 1826±352N), peak leg accelerations (NR: 7.6±5.3g's; NRP: 13.9±5.8g's) and peak head accelerations (NR: 1.4±0.4g's; NRP: 4.0±1.4g's). Flexed knee running off the raised platform decreased peak impact forces to 1672±463N but increased peak impact leg accelerations to 16.3±5.7g's compared to NRP. In contrast, extended knee running off the raised platform increased peak impact forces to 2111±515N but peak leg accelerations did not change 13.5±4.7g's when compared to NRP. Conclusions: These results suggest that knee flexion decreased the mass that was being accelerated. This decreased mass was easier to accelerate and
Ankle Joint Dynamic Stiffness in Long-Distance Runners: Effect of Foot Strike and Shoes Features
Applied Sciences
Foot strike mode and footwear features are known to affect ankle joint kinematics and loading patterns, but how those factors are related to the ankle dynamic properties is less clear. In our study, two distinct samples of experienced long-distance runners: habitual rearfoot strikers (n = 10) and habitual forefoot strikers (n = 10), were analysed while running at constant speed on an instrumented treadmill in three footwear conditions. The joint dynamic stiffness was analysed for three subphases of the moment–angle plot: early rising, late rising and descending. Habitual rearfoot strikers displayed a statistically (p < 0.05) higher ankle dynamic stiffness in all combinations of shoes and subphases, except in early stance in supportive shoes. In minimal-supportive shoes, both groups had the lowest dynamic stiffness values for early and late rising (initial contact through mid-stance), whilst the highest stiffness values were at late rising in minimal shoes for both rearfoot and fo...
Forefoot Strikers Exhibit Lower Running-Induced Knee Loading than Rearfoot Strikers
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2013
Purpose: Knee pain and Achilles tendinopathies are the most common complaints among runners. The differences in the running mechanics may play an important role in the pathogenesis of lower limb overuse injuries. However, the effect of a runner's foot strike pattern on the ankle and especially on the knee loading is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine whether runners using a forefoot strike pattern exhibit a different lower limb loading profile than runners who use rearfoot strike pattern. Methods: Nineteen female athletes with a natural forefoot strike (FFS) pattern and pair-matched women with rearfoot strike (RFS) pattern (n = 19) underwent 3-D running analysis at 4 mIs j1 . Joint angles and moments, patellofemoral contact force and stresses, and Achilles tendon forces were analyzed and compared between groups. Results: FFS demonstrated lower patellofemoral contact force and stress compared with heel strikers (4.3 T 1.2 vs 5.1 T 1.1 body weight, P = 0.029, and 11.1 T 2.9 vs 13.0 T 2.8 MPa, P = 0.04). In addition, knee frontal plane moment was lower in the FFS compared with heel strikers (1.49 T 0.51 vs 1.97 T 0.66 NImIkg j1 , P =0.015). At the ankle level, FFS showed higher plantarflexor moment (3.12 T 0.40 vs 2.54 T 0.37 NImIkg j1 ; P = 0.001) and Achilles tendon force (6.3 T 0.8 vs 5.1 T 1.3 body weight; P = 0.002) compared with RFS. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study that shows differences in patellofemoral loading and knee frontal plane moment between FFS and RFS. FFS exhibit both lower patellofemoral stress and knee frontal plane moment than RFS, which may reduce the risk of running-related knee injuries. On the other hand, parallel increase in ankle plantarflexor and Achilles tendon loading may increase risk for ankle and foot injuries.
Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, 2013
Background: Different foot postures are associated with alterations in foot function, kinetics and the subsequent occurrence of injury. Little is known about changes in foot posture following prolonged weightbearing exercise. This study aimed to identify changes in foot posture after running a half marathon. Methods: Foot posture was measured using the Foot Posture Index (FPI-6) and navicular height in thirty volunteer participants before and after running a half marathon. FPI-6 scores were converted to Rasch logit values and means compared for these and navicular height using an ANOVA. Results: There was a 5 mm drop in navicular height in both feet when measured after the half marathon (P < 0.05). The FPI-6 showed a side x time interaction with an increase in score indicating a more 'pronated' position in the left foot of + 2 [Rasch value + 1.7] but no change in the right foot (+ 0.4 [+ 0.76]) following the half marathon. Conclusion: The apparent differences between the FPI-6 and navicular height on the right foot may be because the FPI-6 takes soft tissue contour changes into consideration whilst the navicular height focuses on skeletal changes. The changes in foot posture towards a more pronated position may have implications for foot function, and therefore risk of injury; shoe fit and comfort and also the effect of therapeutic orthoses worn during prolonged running.
Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 2013
Background: Fatigue due to running has been shown to contribute to changes in plantar pressure distribution. However, little is known about changes in foot posture after running. We sought to compare the Foot Posture Index before and after moderate exercise and to relate any changes to plantar pressure patterns. Methods: A baropodometric evaluation was made, using the FootScan platform (RSscan International, Olen, Belgium), of 30 men who were regular runners and their foot posture was examined using the Foot Posture Index before and after a 60-min continuous run at a moderate pace (3.3 m/sec). Results: Foot posture showed a tendency toward pronation after the 60-min run, gaining 2 points in the Foot Posture Index. The total support and medial heel contact areas increased, as did pressures under the second metatarsal head and medial heel. Conclusions: Continuous running at a moderate speed (3.3 m/sec) induced changes in heel strike related to enhanced pronation posture, indicative of...
Journal of Modern Rehabilitation, 2020
Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the foot function, range of motion, plantar pressure, and plantar contact area in the distance runners with normal, pronated, highly-pronated, supinated, and highly-supinated foot posture groups during static standing.Materials and Methods: In this comparative cross-sectional study, a total of 75 distance runners were divided into 5 groups using the foot posture index. The foot function and knee and foot range of motion were assessed using the Foot And Ankle Ability Measure questionnaire (FAAM) and the goniometer, respectively. The mean of the plantar pressure percentage and the mean of the contact area on the forefoot and rearfoot were investigated during static standing. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the outcomes between the groups.Results: Among the groups, the normal foot group showed the highest scores in the activities of daily living subscale and sport subscale. Compared with the other groups, the highly-pronated foot group ha...
Clinical Biomechanics, 2014
Background: Clinically, foot structures are assessed intrinsicallyrelation of forefoot to rearfoot and rearfoot to leg. We have argued that, from a biomechanical perspective, the interaction of the foot with the ground may influence forces and torques that are propagated through the lower extremity. We proposed that a more appropriate measure is an extrinsic one that may predict the angle the foot makes with ground at contact. The purposes of this study were to determine if the proposed measure predicts contact angles of the forefoot and rearfoot and assess if the magnitude of those angles influences amplitude and duration of foot eversion during running. Methods: With the individual in prone, extrinsic clinical forefoot and rearfoot angles were measured relative to the caudal edge of the examination table. Participants ran over ground while frontal plane forefoot and rearfoot contact angles, forefoot and rearfoot eversion amplitude and duration were measured. Participants were grouped twice, once based on forefoot contact inversion angle (moderate b median and large N median) and once based on rearfoot contact inversion angle (moderate b median and large N median). Findings: The forefoot and rearfoot extrinsic clinical angles predicted, respectively, the forefoot and rearfoot angles at ground contact. Large forefoot contact angles were associated with greater amplitudes (but not durations) of forefoot and rearfoot eversion during stance. Rearfoot contact angles, however, were associated with neither amplitudes nor durations of forefoot and rearfoot eversion. Interpretation: Possible mechanisms for the increased risk of running injuries associated with large forefoot angles are discussed.
Three-Dimensional Biomechanical Analysis of Rearfoot and Forefoot Running
Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2017
Background: In the running community, a forefoot strike (FFS) pattern is increasingly preferred compared with a rearfoot strike (RFS) pattern. However, it has not been fully understood which strike pattern may better reduce adverse joint forces within the different joints of the lower extremity. Purpose: To analyze the 3-dimensional (3D) stress pattern in the ankle, knee, and hip joint in runners with either a FFS or RFS pattern. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: In 22 runners (11 habitual rearfoot strikers, 11 habitual forefoot strikers), RFS and FFS patterns were compared at 3.0 m/s (6.7 mph) on a treadmill with integrated force plates and a 3D motion capture analysis system. This combined analysis allowed characterization of the 3D biomechanical forces differentiated for the ankle, knee, and hip joint. The maximum peak force (MPF) and maximum loading rate (LR) were determined in their 3 ordinal components: vertical, anterior-posterior (AP), and medial-lateral (...