Should runners change their foot strike pattern?

NewsBot · Sep 15, 2024

Effects of Foot-Strike Pattern on Neuromuscular Function During a Prolonged Graded Run
Gianluca Vernillo et al
Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2024 Sep 6:1-4

Purpose: To study whether, during typical-level running, non-rear-foot strikers (non-RFS) or rear-foot strikers (RFS) presented a similar or different extent of neuromuscular fatigue after a prolonged graded run.

Methods: Sixteen experienced male trail runners (8 non-RFS and 8 RFS) performed a 2.5-hour treadmill graded running exercise. Before and after exercise, neuromuscular tests were performed to assess neuromuscular fatigue of the plantar flexors. Biomechanical gait parameters were acquired with an instrumented treadmill, and electromyographic activity of the lower-limb muscles was collected as an index of muscle activation.

Results: There were no significant time × foot strike interactions for neuromuscular (all P ≥ .742), muscle activation (all P ≥ .157), or biomechanical (all P ≥ .096) variables.

Conclusions: A dominant level running foot-strike pattern did not directly affect the extent of neuromuscular fatigue during a prolonged graded run. This suggests that no ideal running foot-strike pattern exists to minimize neuromuscular fatigue during prolonged-duration races wherein cumulative uphill and downhill segments are high, such as in trail running.
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NewsBot · Sep 27, 2024

The impact of toe spring and foot strike angle on forefoot running biomechanics: a finite element analysis
Fengping Li et al
Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Engin. 2024 Sep 16:1-11

The surge in popularity of running has led to a multitude of designs in running shoe technology, notably, there is an increasing trend in toe spring elevation. However, the impact of this design on foot structures during running remains an essential exploration. To investigate the effects of toe spring on the foot during forefoot running, we employed finite element simulation to create two sole models with different toe spring heights (6.5 cm and 8 cm) and ground contact angles (5°, 10°, and 15°). We established and validated two foot-shoe coupling models and compared stress variations in metatarsal bones and the big toe under identical loading and environmental conditions. Higher toe spring resulted in lower peak stress and reduced stress concentration in metatarsal bones. The fourth and fifth metatarsals exhibited increasing stress trends with ground contact angle, with the fifth metatarsal experiencing the most significant stress concentration. In the case of low toe spring, stress on the fifth metatarsal increased from 15.917 MPa (5°) to 27.791 MPa (15°), indicating a rise of 11.874 MPa. Conversely, the first metatarsal showed lower stress, indicating relative safety but reduced functional significance. Moreover, higher toe spring running shoes exerted less pressure on the big toe, with an increasing trend in stress on the big toe with an increase in ground contact angle. Shoes with a higher toe spring design result in reduced pressure on the big toe. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid landing angles greater than 15° to prevent stress fractures resulting from repetitive loading.
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Should runners change their foot strike pattern?

NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

Should runners alternate their running shoes .

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Foot sole stretching and foam rolling and shoulder range of motion

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Should runners change their foot strike pattern?

NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

NewsBot The Admin that posts the news.

Should runners alternate their running shoes .

Should We Retrain the Gait of Asymptomatic Runners?

Foot sole stretching and foam rolling and shoulder range of motion

Why Podiatrists Should Use Heel Lifts In Their Practice

Arch Supports should NOT be used in treating a Flexible Flatfoot

Do we all have feet half as strong as they should be ?

Should Adolescents Run Marathons?

Share This Page

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