This study assessed the biomechanic effects of wearing a lateral wedge on the subtalar joint moment during gait in athletes with and without an unstable lateral ankle. A crossover design was applied whereby 50 collegiate males walked with two different wedges: a 0 degrees control wedge and a 6 degrees lateral wedge. We investigated frontal plane angles and moments at the subtalar joint and the knee joint, as well as ground reaction forces and center of pressure excursion. Moments were derived using a three-dimensional inverse dynamics model of the lower extremity. The 6 degrees lateral wedge significantly increased the subtalar joint valgus moment (P < 0.001) and reduced the knee joint varus moment (P < 0.001) when compared with no wedge. The differences between wedge conditions were associated with a laterally shifted location of the center of pressure during stance phase. However, there were diverse, sometimes reversed effects with the wedge among the athletes with an unstable lateral ankle. These results indicate that biomechanical indications and limitations of lateral wedges in unstable lateral ankles should be analyzed in more detail, possibly leading to new guidelines for the use of such foot orthoses.

Prolonged running results in lowering of the foot arch and a low arch is associated with subsequent chronic injuries. Foot posture alteration and recovery following a marathon run remain unknown. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate foot posture alteration following a full marathon run. The three-dimensional foot posture data of 11 collegiate runners were obtained using an optical foot scanner system before, and immediately, 1 day, 3 days, and 8 days after a full marathon. The navicular height and arch height ratio significantly decreased from before to immediately, 1 day, 3 days, and 8 days after the marathon (navicular height: before, 44.2 ± 5.0 mm; immediately after, 39.4 ± 5.5 mm; 1 day, 37.7 ± 6.2 mm; 3 days, 38.7 ± 5.5 mm; 8 days, 37.6 ± 5.7 mm; arch height ratio: before, 18.4 ± 1.9; immediately after, 16.5 ± 2.5; 1 day, 15.7 ± 2.5; 3 days, 16.2 ± 2.6; 8 days, 15.6 ± 2.2, P < 0.001, respectively). By contrast, the dorsal height significantly increased from before and immediately after to 1 day after the marathon, and then significantly decreased until 8 days after the marathon (P < 0.001). These results indicate that the recovery patterns of the dorsal and navicular heights following a marathon did not coincide; the dorsal height rose temporally at 1 day after and subsequently decreased, but the navicular height decreased throughout the 8-day period after the marathon. More than one week may be necessary for sufficient foot alignment recovery from marathon-induced changes.

Changes in foot shape during long-distance running may lead to alteration in shoe fit. However, little information is available on changes in foot shape following long-distance running. The purpose of this study was to assess changes in foot shape in experienced runners after a single long-distance run. Data from the right feet of 21 subjects were obtained using a foot scanner before and after running 35 km on an asphalt road. After the run, the dorsal height, navicular height, and arch height ratio were significantly decreased. Midfoot cross-sectional shape after the run was deformed laterally compared to before running. Lateral deformity of the lateral dorsum was seen in 76.2% of the feet. For the medial side, 47.6% of feet deformed medially and 38.1% of feet did not change. The findings of the present study suggest that foot shape is altered during a single long-distance run. These results suggest that footwear fit and comfort could be affected during long distance running because athletes tie their shoelaces based on their pre-running foot shape.