STUDY ON THE BIOMECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FUNCTIONAL INSOLES ON THE FOOT OF ATHLETES DURING RUNNING.

Functional insoles can reduce foot injuries caused by running. In this paper, ten male volunteers from the Track and Field Department of Guilin University of Electronic Technology were selected as subjects to test the biomechanical characteristics of the foot, such as plantar pressure, impulse, and center line pressure distribution, when using normal insoles and shock-absorbing functional insoles made of latex, ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA), and conventional insoles. The results showed that the plantar pressure and impulse were mainly concentrated on the first toe, the middle of the metatarsal, and the lateral part of the heel. After using the shock-absorbing insoles, the average pressure and impulse of the first toe, second to fifth toe, lateral metatarsal, and lateral heel were significantly reduced, while the average pressure intensity and impulse of the medial metatarsal, middle metatarsal, and medial heel were significantly increased; the center line of pressure became longer and straighter, indicating that the running stability was improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]