A Comparative Study of Dynamic Balance in Shod and Unshod Conditions Among Long Distance Runners (original) (raw)
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Scientific Reports, 2021
Local dynamic running stability is the ability of a dynamic system to compensate for small perturbations during running. While the immediate effects of footwear on running biomechanics are frequently investigated, no research has studied the long-term effects of barefoot vs. shod running on local dynamic running stability. In this randomized single-blinded controlled trial, young adults novice to barefoot running were randomly allocated to a barefoot or a cushioned footwear running group. Over an 8-week-period, both groups performed a weekly 15-min treadmill running intervention in the allocated condition at 70% of their VO2 max velocity. During each session, an inertial measurement unit on the tibia recorded kinematic data (angular velocity) which was used to determine the short-time largest Lyapunov exponents as a measure of local dynamic running stability. One hundred running gait cycles at the beginning, middle, and end of each running session were analysed using one mixed linea...
ASPECTS REGARDING THE INVESTIGATION OF SINGLE-LEG BALANCE IN ATHLETES
Background. Body posture develops gradually, after repeated experiences as a result of maintaining the same positions and movements of execution in the same way, in similar situations. Aims. The study aims to highlight the views of former performer athletes in tests middle distance running, on the relationship between training and body posture. Methods. Were subjected to a questioning of 32 former middle distance runners aged 19-23 years who have renounced at sport for 1-3 years. We applied a questionnaire with 15 items with multiple pre-coded answers. Results. Applying the mirror test required the subjects to objective consideration of the 6 items. 167 cases were identified indicating a correct posture and only 25 that does not comply with proper posture. The correlation coefficient (r) Pearson is 0.72 significance level 0.01, which indicates that there is a strong relationship between body posture and position in the frontal plane examined. When examining the side, subjects were identified after examining 91 nominations for the correct positions in various segments and 69 situations that do not correspond to the correct posture. The relationship between body posture and body position is considered strong side r = 0.79 and p = 0.01 significance level. Conclusions. The results obtained allow us to continue our research and use athletics as a means to favoring factor maintaining normal posture and obtain the sports performance.
Journal of sports sciences, 2017
This study investigated the immediate and short-term effects of minimalist shoes (MS) and traditional running shoes (TRS) on vertical loading rates, foot strike pattern and lower limb kinematics in a group of habitual barefoot runners. Twelve habitual barefoot runners were randomly given a pair of MS or TRS and were asked to run with the prescribed shoes for 1 month. Outcome variables were obtained before, immediate after and 1 month after shoe prescription. Average and instantaneous vertical loading rates at the 1-month follow-up were significantly higher than that at the pre-shod session (P < 0.034, η(2)p > 0.474). Foot strike angle in the TRS group was significantly lower than that in the MS group (P = 0.045, η(2)p = 0.585). However, there was no significant time nor shoe effect on overstride, knee and ankle excursion (P > 0.061). Habitual barefoot runners appeared to land with a greater impact during shod running and they tended to have a more rearfoot strike pattern wh...
Transition from shod to barefoot alters dynamic stability during running
Introduction: Barefoot running recently received increased attention, with controversial results regarding its effects on injury risk and performance. Numerous studies examined the kinetic and kinematic changes between the shod and the barefoot condition. Intrinsic parameters such as the local dynamic stability could provide new insight regarding neuromuscular control when immediately transitioning from one running condition to the other. We investigated the local dynamic stability during the change from shod to barefoot running. We further measured biomechanical parameters to examine the mechanisms governing this transition. Methods: Twenty habitually shod, young and healthy participants ran on a pressure plate-equipped treadmill and alternated between shod and barefoot running. We calculated the largest Lyapunov exponents as a measure of errors in the control of the movement. Biomechanical parameters were also collected. Results: Local dynamic stability decreased significantly (d = 0.41; 2.1%) during barefoot running indicating worse control over the movement. We measured higher cadence (d = 0.35; 2.2%) and total flight time (d = 0.58; 19%), lower total contact time (d = 0.58; −5%), total vertical displacement (d = 0.39; −4%), and vertical impulse (d = 1.32; 11%) over the two minutes when running barefoot. The strike index changed significantly (d = 1.29; 237%) towards the front of the foot. Conclusions: Immediate transition from shod to the barefoot condition resulted in an increased instability and indicates a worst control over the movement. The increased instability was associated with biomechanical changes (i.e. foot strike patterns) of the participants in the barefoot condition. Possible reasons why this instability arises, might be traced in the stance phase and particularly in the push-off. The decreased stability might affect injury risk and performance.
European Journal of Sport Science, 2019
The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in coordination variability (CV) over the course of a prolonged treadmill run and the influence of stability and neutral footwear on CV. Fourteen male habitually rearfoot runners completed two 42 minute prolonged running sessions while three dimensional kinematics and kinetics were recorded. During the first 21 minutes, participants ran in a neutral shoe (baseline run), then changed into either another neutral shoe of the same construction but another color or a stability shoe and ran a further 21 minutes (intervention run). A modified vector coding technique was used to compute thigh-leg, leg-rearfoot and rearfoot-forefoot segment CV. Following the baseline run, thigh flexion/extension-leg flexion/extension, rearfoot inversion/eversion-forefoot plantar flexion/dorsiflexion and rearfoot inversion/eversion-forefoot adduction/abduction CV increased (p < 0.05). During the intervention run, CV was higher in the neutral shoe compared with the stability shoe for thigh flexion/extensionleg flexion/extension and leg flexion/extension-rearfoot inversion/eversion couplings (p < 0.05). Lower extremity CV increased or was maintained during a prolonged treadmill run in healthy male rearfoot runners, likely to distribute stresses among the tissues as muscles begin to fatigue. CV increased to a greater extent in neutral compared with stability footwear which may be a result of: 1) the stability shoe acting as a perturbation to the runner and their response is to regulate CV, or; 2) stability footwear provides greater support and consequently, runners do not need to explore additional degrees of freedom to reduce stresses applied to the tissues throughout a prolonged run.
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.
Acute kinematics changes in marathon runners using different footwear
Journal of sports sciences, 2017
The effects of running with or without shoes on injury prevention have been extensively studied, and several investigations have assessed biomechanical differences between them. However, findings are not consensual and further insights on biomechanical load associated with differently shod or barefoot conditions may be needed. This study aimed to observe if habitually shod marathon runners show acute alterations when running barefoot or with minimalist shoes, and to determine whether the running kinematical adaptations of wearing minimalist shoes were similar to barefoot running. Twelve male marathon runners ran on the treadmill at their average marathon pace in different footwear conditions: habitual running shoes, minimalist shoes, and barefoot. High-resolution infrared cameras and visual 3D software were used to assess kinematic data. The following parameters were studied: foot strike angle, cycle time, stance time, normalized stride length, hip, knee, and ankle angular position ...
Correlation of foot posture with balance and pelvic tilt in healthy runners
Physiotherapy Quarterly, 2021
Introduction. The purpose of the study was to find out the relationship of hyper-pronated foot with anterior pelvic tilt and dynamic balance in recreational runners. Hyper-pronated foot is a functional deformity which mainly affects the total body kinematic chain during dynamic weight-bearing events such as running when the foot lands on the ground. Furthermore, individuals with hyper-pronated foot may exhibit anterior pelvic tilt owing to the biomechanical relations, which alters balance as well. Runners with hyper-pronated feet are at high risk of injury, possibly because of larger torque generated at the lower limb. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 55 healthy recreational runners with hyper-pronated foot aged 19-30 years. They were assessed by foot posture index for hyper-pronated foot, Star Excursion Balance Test for dynamic balance evaluation, and the photogrammetry method to determine the anterior pelvic tilt angle. Results. The results revealed a poor correlation between foot posture index and dynamic body balance (r = 0.23) and a moderate correlation between foot posture index and anterior pelvic tilt angle (r = 0.47). Conclusions. There was no significant correlation of foot posture index with dynamic body balance, whereas a minimal correlation was found between foot posture index and the anterior pelvic tilt angle. Therefore, hyper-pronated foot does not significantly directly influence balance or posture.
Running-related injury prevention through barefoot adaptations
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 1987
A number of reports indicate an extremely low running-related injury frequency in barefoot populations in contrast to reports about shod populations. It is hypothesized that the adaptations which produce shock absorption, an inherent consequence of barefoot activity and a mechanism responsible for the low injury frequency in unshod populations, are related to deflection of the medial longitudinal arch of the foot on loading. It is also hypothesized that the known inability of this arch of the shod foot to deflect without failure (foot rigidity) is responsible for the high injury frequency in shod populations. To evaluate these hypotheses, 17 recreational runners were analyzed to study the adaptive pattern of the medial longitudinal arch of the foot due to increased barefoot weightbearing activity. Changes occurred in the medial longitudinal arch which allowed deflection of this arch on loading which substantiated the hypotheses. Other evidence suggests that sensory feedback largely from the glabrous epithelium of the foot is the element of barefoot activity which induced these adaptations. The sensory insulation inherent in the modem running shoe appears responsible for the high injury frequency associated with running. The injuries are considered "pseudo-neuropathic" in nature.
Biomechanic Analysis of Barefoot vs. Shod Running
Aquila: The FGCU Student Research Journal, 2019
Each year thousands of runners are injured, many incidents being caused by improper form or attire. Prior studies have shown barefoot running to reduce impact loading, contact time, and stride length by encouraging a forefoot striking (FFS) pattern. The aim of this study is to further analyze and compare mechanical characteristics and effects between barefoot and shod running. Data collected from N=11 participants with Qualisys 3D motion tracking system was used to assess applied foot force, inversion and eversion angles, foot plantarflexion, location of the center of pressure of the foot, ankle moment, in addition to moments, forces, and flexion angles of the knee. When barefoot, statistically significant reductions in several parameters, including impact force and peak knee moment were observed which may reduce the overall risk of injury. No significant increase in eversion was observed. By performing this biomechanical analysis on barefoot running, researchers conclude that barefoot style running results in a safe gait pattern. Future impacts of this research may directly affect current training regimens. Increasing awareness of barefoot running may inspire others to verify this study and determine to what degree running related injuries are preventable.