16 Weeks of Progressive Barefoot Running Training Changes Impact Force and Muscle Activation in Habitual Shod Runners

June 23, 2016 updated by: Ana Paula da Silva Azevedo, University of Sao Paulo
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of 16 weeks of progressive barefoot running training on impact force and muscle activation in habitual shod runners. Habitual shod runners were tested barefoot (BF) and shod (SH), before and after 16 weeks of progressive barefoot running training. Tests consisted of running on instrumented treadmill at 9 km/h, for 10 minutes in each experimental condition. Nine data acquisitions (10 s) of vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) and electromyographic (EMG) signal were conducted in each experimental condition, for each test.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Short-term effects of barefoot and simulated barefoot running have been widely discussed in recent years. Consequences of adopting barefoot running for a long period, e.g. as training strategy, still remain unknown. The present study evaluated the influence of 16 weeks of progressive barefoot running training on impact force and muscle activation in habitual shod runners. Habitual shod runners were tested barefoot (BF) and shod (SH), before and after 16 weeks of progressive barefoot running training. During the 16 weeks of training, participants kept their normal running training routine (wearing shoes), while they were introduced progressively to BF condition. Three training sessions were performed per week. Barefoot training started with 5% and ended with 20% of their weekly training volume (WTV) being performed without shoes. Soft surfaces (i.e. sand and grass) were adopted in the beginning of training (week 1 to 8). From week 9 to 16, participants mixed soft with harder surfaces, as treadmill and asphalt, to accomplish the training. Training sessions were prepared by professionals, researches and participants together. All training sessions were supervised by the researchers. Tests consisted of running on instrumented treadmill at 9 km/h, for 10 minutes in each experimental condition. Each session test started with participants performing a maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) test for each muscle of interest. The MVIC protocol consisted of 4 movement trials for each muscle: 2 submaximal trials of 10 seconds; 1 maximal trial of 5 seconds; and 1 maximal trial of 10 seconds. Then, a 5-minute period of warm-up at self-selected speed was performed on a treadmill. After that, participants ran (at 9km/h) during 10 minutes on an instrumented treadmill in both barefoot and shod conditions. Participants had a 2-minute interval between each trial while experimental condition was changed. The VGRF of both legs and EMG signal of tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius lateralis (GL), long head of biceps femoris (BCF), rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis (VL) of the right leg of each volunteer were obtained. These muscles were chosen due to their importance and contribution to running. For shod trial, runners wore their own habitual running shoes. All shoes were in good conditions of use and had similar characteristics of construction.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
6

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Brazil
    • SP
      • São Paulo, SP, Brazil, 05508-030
        • Ana Paula da Silva Azevedo

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 40 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Habitual shod runners (recreational runners without experience in barefoot and/or minimatist running)

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • to have a minimum of 6 months of regular running training;
  • to have a minimum of 6 months of experience in running on treadmills;
  • do not have suffered any orthopedic injury in the last 12 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • to have experience in minimalist/barefoot running;
  • to be habitual forefoot striker;
  • to complete less than 80% of training;
  • to suffer any injury during training.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Barefoot training
16 weeks of progressive barefoot running training
Other: Barefoot training
During 16 weeks, habitual shod runners kept their normal running training routine (wearing shoes), while they were introduced progressively to BF condition. Three training sessions were performed per week. Barefoot training started with 5% and ended with 20% of their WTV being performed without shoes. Soft surfaces (i.e. sand and grass) were adopted in the beginning of training (week 1 to 8). From week 9 to 16, participants mixed soft with harder surfaces, as treadmill and asphalt, to accomplish the training.
Other: Shod training
Running training planned individually to each runner, according to their physical fitness, and performed with shoes.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Parameters of the vertical component of Ground Reaction Force (VGRF) related to impact force
Time Frame: 4 months
Biomechanical parameters related to impact forces, as magnitude of VGRF's first peak, time to reach first peak of VGRF and implulse from the first 50 ms, will be measured.
4 months
Electromyographic (EMG) parameters related to muscle activation intensity
Time Frame: 4 months
EMG signal will be measeured and the RMS, a parameter that reflects muscle activation intensity, will be evaluated.
4 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Sao Paulo

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2012

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 1, 2013

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 22, 2016

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 23, 2016

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 28, 2016

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 28, 2016

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 23, 2016

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • EEFEUSP_LBiomec-1

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