Research in Sports Medicine and Technology

Effect of Various Footwear on Mechanical Stiffness (vertical, leg, and lower limb joint torsional stiffness) during Running: A Systematic Review

Articles in Press

Authors

Ali Smaeeli 1
AmirAli Jafarnezhadgero 1
Mansour Jabri 2

1 University of Mohaghegh Ardabili

2 Islamic Azad University

Abstract
Background and Aim: This study focuses and reviews the researches that examines the effect of footwear types on torsional, vertical and limb stiffness during running.

Methods: The search for articles in English languages between 2000 and 2024 (until May) was carried out in WOS, Scopus, PubMed, Springer databases and grey literature from Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria included the number of participants being more than one and the availability of the full text of the articles. Exclusion criteria included studies whose participants were under 18 years of age. Review studies and studies that studied an activity other than running.

Results: 586 relevant articles were selected. After examining the articles, 17 articles were selected. Vertical stiffness and limb stiffness in barefoot conditions are significantly greater than in conventional shoes. The torsional stiffness in the ankle and hip joints in conventional shoe conditions was reported to be higher than in barefoot and minimal shoe conditions. In contrast, the torsional stiffness of the knee joint in conventional shoe conditions was lower than in barefoot and minimal shoe conditions.

Conclusion: These findings provide further insight into the susceptibility of runners to different injury mechanisms as a function of footwear.

Keywords

Footwear
Joint Stiffness
Leg Stiffness
Vertical Stiffness
Running
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Research in Sports Medicine and Technology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 23 October 2019