Ankle Muscle Activations during Different Foot-Strike Patterns in Running

Lin, Jian-Zhi; Chiu, Wen-Yu; Tai, Wei-Hsun; Hong, Yongmiao

doi:10.3390/s21103422

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…It is about two to three times higher plantar loading at forefoot strike than the dispersed pressure in midfoot and rearfoot strikes, resulting higher muscle fatigue of the lower limb when running for a long time [43]. In addition, some studies found that the force activation of the gastrocnemius muscle and Achilles tendon is increased [36,44]. Therefore, stress in the 5th metatarsal bone increases proportionally with foot fatigue and fracture probability due to the higher load on the Achilles tendon [44,45].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effects of knee ligament loading during running in different foot strike patterns

Kim,

Wang,

Lam

2024

Preprint

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Background The purpose of this study is to examine the kinematic and kinematic variables during running with various foot strike patterns and to calculate the knee ligament loading using musculoskeletal modeling techniques. Methods Twenty participants were instructed to run overground at 4.3 ± 0.2 m/s along the instrumented runway, with landing their feet on the force plate under three foot strike patterns: forefoot (foot strike angle < -1.6°), midfoot (-1.6° < foot strike angle < -8.0°), rearfoot (foot strike angle > 8.0°). The angle, angular velocity, ground reaction force (GRF), and moment of the knee joint were calculated, and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) forces were determined through musculoskeletal modeling. Results The forefoot strike had a significant shorter contact time than the midfoot and rearfoot strike (p < .05). The forefoot strike was lower than other foot strike patterns for flexion angle (F = 7.261, p = .005). In the kinetic variables, the forefoot strike showed single vertical GRF peak that was higher than the first or second peaks in other foot strike patterns (p < .05). The anterior and posterior ACL loading of the rearfoot strike were lower than forefoot and midfoot strike patterns (p < .05), while no significant between strike patterns were found in PCL loading. Conclusion This suggests that the lower ACL load of the rearfoot strike would be associated with the two-peak GRF characteristics with the impact attenuation at initial contact, and that forefoot strike showed a relatively high ACL load due to the small foot contact area for both landing and propulsion.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, some studies found that the force activation of the gastrocnemius muscle and Achilles tendon is increased [36,44]. Therefore, stress in the 5th metatarsal bone increases proportionally with foot fatigue and fracture probability due to the higher load on the Achilles tendon [44,45].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of knee ligament loading during running in different foot strike patterns

Kim,

Wang,

Lam

2024

Preprint

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“…A prior study has also provided evidence that long-term running with FFS could significantly influence the architecture of MG, resulting in runners having a longer FL ( Li et al, 2023 ). Compared with running with RFS, running with FFS requires more active involvement from the MG ( Lin et al, 2021 ). This condition may increase the range of muscle stretching and contraction during running, resulting in adaptive changes in the muscle and an increase in FL.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Compared with runners with a RFS, those with a forefoot strike pattern (FFS) exhibit greater knee flexion and ankle plantar flexion during initial contact ( Almeida et al, 2015 ) and greater plantar flexion torque during the early stance phase ( Kulmala et al, 2013 ; Gonzales et al, 2019 ). The activation of the MG greatly increased during FFS compared with that in RFS ( Lin et al, 2021 ), indicating increased mechanical loading on the MG during running with FFS. Moreover, the excessive eccentric loading during ground contact in FFS may affect the stretch-shortening cycle of the triceps surae muscle–tendon unit, which in turn affects the ability to resist impact force during landing and return elastic energy ( Jewell et al, 2017 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of 12-week gait retraining on plantar flexion torque, architecture, and behavior of the medial gastrocnemius in vivo

Zhang,

Deng,

Zhang

et al. 2024

Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.

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Objective:This study aims to explore the effects of 12-week gait retraining (GR) on plantar flexion torque, architecture, and behavior of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) during maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC).Methods:Thirty healthy male rearfoot strikers were randomly assigned to the GR group (n = 15) and the control (CON) group (n = 15). The GR group was instructed to wear minimalist shoes and run with a forefoot strike pattern for the 12-week GR (3 times per week), whereas the CON group wore their own running shoes and ran with their original foot strike pattern. Participants were required to share screenshots of running tracks each time to ensure training supervision. The architecture and behavior of MG, as well as ankle torque data, were collected before and after the intervention. The architecture of MG, including fascicle length (FL), pennation angle, and muscle thickness, was obtained by measuring muscle morphology at rest using an ultrasound device. Ankle torque data during plantar flexion MVIC were obtained using a dynamometer, from which peak torque and early rate of torque development (RTD50) were calculated. The fascicle behavior of MG was simultaneously captured using an ultrasound device to calculate fascicle shortening, fascicle rotation, and maximal fascicle shortening velocity (Vmax).Results:After 12-week GR, 1) the RTD50 increased significantly in the GR group (p = 0.038), 2) normalized FL increased significantly in the GR group (p = 0.003), and 3) Vmax increased significantly in the GR group (p = 0.018).Conclusion:Compared to running training, GR significantly enhanced the rapid strength development capacity and contraction velocity of the MG. This indicates the potential of GR as a strategy to improve muscle function and mechanical efficiency, particularly in enhancing the ability of MG to generate and transmit force as well as the rapid contraction capability. Further research is necessary to explore the effects of GR on MG behavior during running in vivo.

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“…In FFS jogging, the peak metatarsal stress lay in the 5th metatarsal, which was corresponding to the location of the plantar peak pressure, so it could be concluded that the metatarsal stress was partially caused by the plantar pressure. Furthermore, gastrocnemius possessed high muscle activity in FFS jogging [27,28], so a large Achilles tendon force was acquired. Then, the Achilles tendon force was enlarged by the lever action and finally transferred to five metatarsals, so it would bring an increase of the metatarsal stress.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomechanical Analysis of Foot–Ankle Complex during Jogging with Rearfoot Strike versus Forefoot Strike

Zhang

2022

Applied Bionics and Biomechanics

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Background and Aim. In order to reduce foot and ankle injuries induced by jogging, two-foot strike patterns, rearfoot strike (RFS), and forefoot strike (FFS), were adopted and compared. First, RFS jogging and FFS jogging were experimentally studied, so as to acquire kinematic and kinetic data, including foot strike angle, knee flexion angle, and ground reaction force (GRF). Then, a 3D finite element model of foot–ankle complex was reconstructed from the scanned 2D-stacked images. Biomechanical characteristics, including plantar pressure, stress of metatarsals, midfoot bone, calcaneus and cartilage, and tensile force of plantar fascia and ligaments, were obtained. The results showed that RFS jogging and FFS jogging had a similar change trend and a close peak value of GRF. Since possessing more momentum in the push stage and less momentum in the brake stage, FFS jogging could be in favor of a higher jogging speed. However, FFS jogging produced larger metatarsal stress in the 5th metatarsal and much larger tensile force of plantar fascia, which might cause metatarsal fracture and heel pain. While RFS jogging produced larger plantar pressure in the hindfoot area, larger calcaneus stress, and much larger tarsal navicular stress, which might cause heel tissue injury, calcaneus damage, and stress fracture of naviculocuneiform joint. In addition, talocrural and talocalcaneal joint cartilage could bear jogging loads, as the peak contact pressure were both small in RFS jogging and FFS jogging. Therefore, jogging with rearfoot or FFS pattern should be chosen according to the health condition of foot–ankle parts.

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Ankle Muscle Activations during Different Foot-Strike Patterns in Running

Cited by 6 publications

References 38 publications

The effects of knee ligament loading during running in different foot strike patterns

The effects of knee ligament loading during running in different foot strike patterns

Effects of 12-week gait retraining on plantar flexion torque, architecture, and behavior of the medial gastrocnemius in vivo

Biomechanical Analysis of Foot–Ankle Complex during Jogging with Rearfoot Strike versus Forefoot Strike

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