Back to Search
Start Over
Effects of a foot strengthening program on foot muscle morphology and running mechanics: A proof-of-concept, single-blind randomized controlled trial
- Source :
- Physical therapy in sport, 42, 107-115. Elsevier BV
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Objectives To investigate the effects of a foot training program on muscle morphology and strength as well as running biomechanics in healthy recreational runners. Design Proof-of-concept, single-blind randomized controlled trial. Settings Runners were allocated to a control (CG) or an intervention (IG) group. The intervention focused on strengthening the intrinsic foot muscles and their activation during weight-bearing activities. All participants were assessed at baseline and after 8-weeks. Participants Twenty-eight healthy recreational long-distance runners not habituated to minimalist running shoes or barefoot running. Main outcomes measures Outcomes were hallux and toes strength; foot function, cross-sectional area and volume of the abductor hallucis (ABH), abductor digiti minimi (ABV), flexor digitorum brevis (FDB), and flexor hallucis brevis; medial longitudinal arch range of motion and stiffness; vertical and antero-posterior propulsive impulses during running. Results Compared to the CG, an increase was found in the IG for the volume of all muscles investigated and for vertical propulsive impulse during running. Correlations were found between vertical propulsive impulse and volume of ABH(r = 0.40), ABV(r = 0.41), and FDB(r = 0.69). Conclusion The foot exercise protocol effectively increased intrinsic foot muscle volume and propulsive forces in recreational runners. This shows that intrinsic muscle strengthening affects running mechanics and suggests that it may improve running performance.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Adolescent
Exercise therapy
Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
Sports injuries
law.invention
Barefoot
Running
Weight-Bearing
03 medical and health sciences
Muscle morphology
Young Adult
0302 clinical medicine
Randomized controlled trial
law
Medicine
Humans
Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Single-Blind Method
Foot Injuries
Muscle, Skeletal
030222 orthopedics
business.industry
Foot
Biomechanics
Abductor hallucis
030229 sport sciences
General Medicine
Mechanics
Middle Aged
Biomechanical Phenomena
body regions
Female
Single blind
business
Range of motion
Foot (unit)
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1466853X
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Physical therapy in sport, 42, 107-115. Elsevier BV
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....6113e33734b733723790007d15f69b7f