footstrike; gait retraining; running; Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Abstract :
[en] [en] BACKGROUND: Transitioning to a forefoot strike pattern can be used to manage running-related knee injuries. However, adopting a nonrearfoot strike induces a higher load on foot and ankle structures than rearfoot strike. Sufficient foot muscle strength is also necessary to prevent excessive longitudinal arch (LA) deformation when running with nonrearfoot strike. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential differences in foot-ankle muscle strength between RF and NRF runners.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study including 40 RF and 40 NRF runners was conducted. The foot posture and the maximal voluntary isometric strength (MVIS) of 6 foot-ankle muscles were measured. The footstrike pattern was determined using a 2-D camera during a self-paced run on a treadmill.
RESULTS: NRF had higher MVIS for ankle plantar flexor (+12.5%, P = .015), ankle dorsiflexor (+17.7%, P = .01), hallux flexor (+11%, P = .04), and lesser toe flexor (+20.8%, P = .0031). We found a small positive correlation between MVIS of ankle plantar flexor with MVIS of hallux flexor (r = 0.26; P = .01) and lesser toe flexor (r = 0.28; P = .01).
CONCLUSION: In this cross-sectional study, we found that NRF runners on average have a higher MVIS of hallux and lesser toe flexor compared with RF runners. NRF runners also have a higher MVIS of ankle plantar flexor and dorsiflexor than RF runners. We found only a small correlation between ankle plantar flexor and foot muscle strength.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, case-control study.
Disciplines :
General & internal medicine
Author, co-author :
Abran, Guillaume ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Unités de recherche interfacultaires > Motion analysis research unit (MARU)
Schwartz, Cédric ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la motricité > Kinésithérapie générale et réadaptation ; LAM-Motion Lab, Liège, Belgium
Delvaux, François ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la motricité
Aguilaniu, Aude ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Unités de recherche interfacultaires > Motion analysis research unit (MARU)
Bornheim, Stephen ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service de médecine de l'appareil locomoteur
Croisier, Jean-Louis ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service de médecine de l'appareil locomoteur
Language :
English
Title :
Foot and Ankle Muscle Isometric Strength in Nonrearfoot Compared With Rearfoot Endurance Runners.
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