Peak Impact Forces and Metabolic Cost During Mid-Forefoot Striking in Shod Versus Barefoot Runners

Peak Impact Forces and Metabolic Cost During Mid-Forefoot Striking in Shod Versus Barefoot Runners: A Pilot Study

This experimental study will compare impact forces and metabolic cost in runners (N=20; ages 18-45 years, who already use a forefoot strike running gait) in two treadmill running test sessions (shod vs barefoot running)

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: running with normal running shoes and barefoot

Detailed Description

Specific Aim 1: To identify if differences in metabolic cost exist between barefoot versus cushioned shod FM strikers during an acute bout of running exercise. Hypothesis: The metabolic cost will be higher in the cushioned shod runners with forefoot and midfoot strike compared to the barefoot runners.

Specific Aim 2: To identify if differences in peak impact forces exist between barefoot versus cushioned shod runners in forefoot-midfoot (FM) strikers.

Hypothesis: Peak impact forces will be higher in the barefoot runners with a forefoot and midfoot striking running style compared to the cushioned shod runners with a forefoot and midfoot striking running style.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 22

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Florida
    • Gainesville, Florida, United States, 32611
      • UF&Shands Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 60 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

trained runners (men and women) who run with a FM strike (self-reported and verified in the laboratory).

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• trained runners with a running foot striking style of either initial forefoot or midfoot strike.
• run on average at least 20 miles/week
• be able to run for at least 20 minutes at one session
• free of any orthopedic limitation

Exclusion Criteria:

• history of lower extremity injury within the last 6 months prior to testing
• rear-foot strike running style
• does not run in a cushioned shoe on any occasion
• runs on average < 20 miles/week
• unable to run for 20 minutes or greater
• presence of any open wound or deformity on the feet which would prevent participant from running barefoot
• neurologic injury that would preclude normal running activity.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Case-Only
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Shod versus Barefoot Running; two running conditions, with normal running shoes and barefoot	Other: running with normal running shoes and barefoot; shod condition: normal running shoes barefoot condition: running with no shoewear

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Metabolic Rate During Barefoot and Shod Running	This study will measure the metabolic rate when a person runs on the treadmill with shoes (shod) and without shoes. Each person will run for 20 minutes on the treadmill on two different days, one with and one day without shoes.	Study consists of two visits, approximately 2 hours for each visit

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Peak Impact Forces During Barefoot and Shod Running	This study will be measuring the peak impact forces that a runner produces when running on the treadmill with shoes (shod) and without shoes. Each person will run for 20 minutes on the treadmill on two different days, one with and one day without shoes.	Study consists of two visits, approximately 2 hours for each visit

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Florida
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Heather K Vincent, PhD, University of Florida

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Actual): July 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 2, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 15, 2012
• First Posted (Estimate): February 20, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): April 21, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 17, 2014
• Last Verified: March 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: runners; mid-foot strike; fore foot strike; metabolic costs; trained runners (men,women) with a FM strike; shod running; barefoot running
• Other Study ID Numbers: 497-2010

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No