title: A 4-week instructed minimalist running transition and gait-retraining changes plantar pressure and force.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to compare changes in plantar pressure and force using conventional running shoes (CRS) and minimalist footwear (MFW) pre and post a 4-week MFW familiarization period. Ten female runners (age: 21 ± 2 years; stature: 165.8 ± 4.5 cm; mass: 55.9 ± 3.2 kg) completed two 11 km/h treadmill runs, 24 hours apart, in both CRS and MFW (pretest). Plantar data were measured using sensory insoles for foot strike patterns, stride frequency, mean maximum force ( M ⁢ F ¯ ), mean maximum pressure ( M ⁢ P ¯ ) and eight mean maximum regional pressures. Subjects then completed a 4-week familiarization period consisting of running in MFW and simple gait-retraining, before repeating the tests (posttest). During the pretests, 30% of subjects adopted a forefoot strike in MFW, following familiarization this increased to 80%; no change occurred in CRS. A significant decrease in M ⁢ F ¯ in both MFW and CRS (P = 0.024) was observed from pre-post, and a significant decrease in heel pressures in MFW. M ⁢ P ¯ was higher in MFW throughout testing (P < 0.001).A 4-week familiarization to MFW resulted in a significant reduction in M ⁢ F ¯ in both the CRS and MFW conditions, as well as a reduction in heel pressures. Higher M ⁢ P ¯ was observed throughout testing in the MFW condition.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Human Performance, Applied Sports Performance Research Group, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Warne
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kilduff
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Gregan
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Nevill
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Warrington
mesh_terms: D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000502:physiology*; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D012775:Shoes; D019876:Sports Equipment; D016474:Weight-Bearing; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: barefoot running; biomechanics; footwear; injury; running performance; running technique