Wunsch Tobias, Alexander Nathalie, Kröll Josef, Stöggl Thomas, Schwameder Hermann
Department of Sport Science and Kinesiology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
PLoS One. 2017 Feb 24;12(2):e0172287. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172287. eCollection 2017.
To enhance running performance in heel-toe running, a leaf spring structured midsole shoe (LEAF) has recently been introduced. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a LEAF compared to a standard foam midsole shoe (FOAM) on joint mechanics and lower limb muscle forces in overground running. Nine male long-distance heel strike runners ran on an indoor track at 3.0 ± 0.2 m/s with LEAF and FOAM shoes. Running kinematics and kinetics were recorded during the stance phase. Absorbed and generated energy (negative and positive work) of the hip, knee and ankle joint as well as muscle forces of selected lower limb muscles were determined using a musculoskeletal model. A significant reduction in energy absorption at the hip joint as well as energy generation at the ankle joint was found for LEAF compared to FOAM. The mean lower limb muscle forces of the m. soleus, m. gastrocnemius lateralis and m. gastrocnemius medialis were significantly reduced for LEAF compared to FOAM. Furthermore, m. biceps femoris showed a trend of reduction in running with LEAF. The remaining lower limb muscles analyzed (m. gluteus maximus, m. rectus femoris, m. vastus medialis, m. vastus lateralis, m. tibialis anterior) did not reveal significant differences between the shoe conditions. The findings of this study indicate that LEAF positively influenced the energy balance in running by reducing lower limb muscle forces compared to FOAM. In this way, LEAF could contribute to an overall increased running performance in heel-toe running.
为提高足跟到足尖跑步的运动表现，最近推出了一种板簧结构中底鞋（LEAF）。本研究的目的是调查与标准泡沫中底鞋（FOAM）相比，LEAF对地面跑步时关节力学和下肢肌肉力量的影响。九名男性足跟落地的长跑运动员穿着LEAF鞋和FOAM鞋在室内跑道上以3.0±0.2米/秒的速度跑步。在站立阶段记录跑步运动学和动力学数据。使用肌肉骨骼模型确定髋、膝和踝关节吸收和产生的能量（负功和正功）以及选定下肢肌肉的力量。与FOAM鞋相比，发现LEAF鞋在髋关节处的能量吸收以及踝关节处的能量产生显著降低。与FOAM鞋相比，LEAF鞋的比目鱼肌、腓骨外侧肌和腓肠肌内侧头的平均下肢肌肉力量显著降低。此外，股二头肌在穿着LEAF鞋跑步时显示出下降趋势。分析的其余下肢肌肉（臀大肌、股直肌、股内侧肌、股外侧肌、胫骨前肌）在两种鞋的情况下未显示出显著差异。本研究结果表明，与FOAM鞋相比，LEAF鞋通过降低下肢肌肉力量对跑步时的能量平衡产生了积极影响。通过这种方式，LEAF鞋可能有助于整体提高足跟到足尖跑步的运动表现。
