The effects of cross-fit footwear on the kinetics and kinematics of running

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to comparatively examine the effects of barefoot, cross-fit, minimalist and conventional footwear on the kinetics and kinematics of running. Thirteen male participants ran over an embedded force platform at 4.0 m/s in the four different footwear conditions. Lower extremity kinematics were quantified via an eight-camera motion analysis system and tibial accelerations were obtained using a distally mounted accelerometer. Differences between footwear were investigated using one-way, repeated measures ANOVA. The findings confirmed that instantaneous loading rate and peak tibial acceleration were significantly larger in the barefoot (274.19 BW/s and 5.72 g) and minimalist (302.91 BW/s and 5.31 g) conditions in relation to the conventional (112.37 BW/s and 4.55 g) footwear. In addition it was also shown that ankle angle at footstrike was significantly more plantarflexed in the barefoot (−8.70°) and minimalist (−.92°) conditions compared to the conventional (5.09°) and cross-fit (2.16°) conditions. As such the results from the current investigation indicate that barefoot and minimalist footwear may place cross-fit athletes at increased risk from chronic pathologies during running activities.