Article

Despite the differences in materials, racing flats have begun to be used not only
for racing, but also for daily training. As there are data suggesting a gender
difference in overuse injuries in runners, shoe choice may affect loading
patterns during running.
The purpose was to determine differences in plantar
pressure between genders when running in training shoes and racing flats. In-shoe
plantar pressure data were collected from 34 subjects (17m, 17f) who ran
over-ground in both a racing flat and training shoe. Contact area (CA), maximum
force (MF), and contact time under the entire foot and beneath eight foot regions
were collected. Each variable was analyzed using a shoe by gender repeated
measures ANOVA (alpha=0.05). In men, MF was increased in the racing flats
(p=0.016) beneath the medial midfoot (MMF), yet was increased beneath the medial
forefoot (MFF) in the training shoe (p=0.018). Independent of gender, CA was
decreased in the racing flats beneath the entire foot (p=0.029), the MMF
(p=0.013), and the MFF (p=0.030), and increased beneath the lateral forefoot
(LFF) (p=0.023). In the racing flats, MF was increased beneath the entire foot
(p<0.001) and the LFF (p<0.001). Independent of the shoe, CA was decreased in men
beneath the MFF (p=0.007) and middle forefoot (p<0.001), while MF was increased
in the LFF (p=0.002). The LFF is an area of increased stress fracture risk in men. Based on the gender differences in loading, running shoe design should be
gender specific in an attempt to prevent injuries.

Langue : ANGLAIS