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DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-821327
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York
Mechanical Comparison of Barefoot and Shod Running[*]
Publikationsverlauf
Accepted after revision: July 30, 2004
Publikationsdatum:
27. September 2004 (online)
![](https://www.thieme-connect.de/media/sportsmed/200507/lookinside/thumbnails/10.1055-s-2004-821327-1.jpg)
Abstract
In order to further compare shod versus barefoot running, 35 subjects ran two bouts of 4 minutes at 3.33 m · s-1 on a treadmill dynamometer. Parameters were measured on about 60 consecutive steps. Barefoot showed mainly lower contact and flight time (p < 0.05), lower passive peak (1.48 versus 1.70 body weight, p < 0.05), higher braking and pushing impulses (p < 0.05), and higher pre-activation of triceps surae muscles (p < 0.05) than shod. It was concluded that when performed on a sufficient number of steps, barefoot running leads to a reduction of impact peak in order to reduce the high mechanical stress occurring during repetitive steps. This neural-mechanical adaptation could also enhance the storage and restitution of elastic energy at ankle extensors level.
Key words
Shoe - force - treadmill - electromyography
1 The work was undertaken at the Laboratoire de Physiologie - GIP E2S, Pavillon 12, Hôpital St Jean Bonnefonds, 42055 Saint-Etienne Cedex 2, France
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1 The work was undertaken at the Laboratoire de Physiologie - GIP E2S, Pavillon 12, Hôpital St Jean Bonnefonds, 42055 Saint-Etienne Cedex 2, France
C. Divert
Laboratoire de Physiologie - GIP E2S
Pavillon 12, Hôpital St Jean Bonnefonds
42055 Saint-Etienne Cedex 2
France
Telefon: + 33477127985
Fax: + 33 4 77 12 72 29
eMail: caroline.divert@univ-st-etienne.fr