Effects of Shoe Longitudinal Bending Stiffness

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Carbon plates inserted in competitive running shoes have been increasingly used in the past 2-3 years and several investigations have shown that these plates increase the longitudinal bending stiffness (LBS) of the shoe. It leads to a redistribution of muscle work and to a modification of the force generation conditions, which may reduce the energy cost of running (Cr) and improve performance.

Detailed Description
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Only one study has investigated the effects of LBS in running bouts longer than 8 minutes but on the biomechanics part, and their effects on neuromuscular fatigue and prolonged running performance. The aim of this study is to compare shoes with and without carbon plates during a prolonged (21 km) running exercise on Cr, plantar flexor neuromuscular fatigue and running kinetics and kinematics to estimate the changes high-LBS may induce on fatigue and subsequent performance.

Official Title
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Effects of Shoe Longitudinal Bending Stiffness on Changes in Energy Cost of Running During a 21 km Run

Conditions
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Runners

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: running flexible shoes


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: aged ≥ 18 and ≤ 50 years. men experienced, well-trained endurance runners with the capacity to run 21km in less than 1h 40 and who train more than 5h a week. free from muscular, bone or joint injuries free from neurologic disease approval received from a physician Exclusion Criteria: currently participating in a structured exercise program injury in the 3 months prior to the protocol chronic joint pathologies (e.g.: repetitive sprains, patellar or ligament problems) the intake of corticosteroids within 3 months (inhalation, infiltration or history of prolonged corticosteroid therapy).

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 50 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Other
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: running with stiff shoes<br>21 km of running with stiff shoes followed by a time-to-exhaustion run. | Other: running flexible shoes<br>* 21kms of running flexible shoes followed by a time-to-exhaustion run.<br>|
| Experimental: running flexible shoes<br>21 km of running flexible shoes followed by a time-to-exhaustion run. | Other: running flexible shoes<br>* 21kms of running flexible shoes followed by a time-to-exhaustion run.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| energy cost of running | amount of energy needed to travel a unit of distance | during the last 4 minutes of a 21km race | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ankle plantar flexors | ankle plantar flexors maximal voluntary contraction | during the last 4 minutes of a 21km race | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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NEUROMUSCULAR FATIGUE, ENERGETIC COST OF RUNNING, LONGITUDINAL BENDING STIFFNESS