Shen Bin, Zhang Shen, Cui Kedong, Zhang Xini, Fu Weijie
School of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.
School of Athletic Performance, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.
Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2022 Oct 5;10:1022910. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1022910. eCollection 2022.
This study aims to explore the effects of a 12-week gait retraining program combined with foot core exercise on arch morphology, arch muscles strength, and arch kinematics. A total of 26 male recreational runners with normal arch structure who used rear-foot running strike (RFS) were divided into the intervention group (INT group) and control group (CON group) ( = 13 in each group). The INT group performed a 12-week forefoot strike (FFS) training combined with foot core exercises. The CON group did not change the original exercise habit. Before and after the intervention, the arch morphology, as well as the strength of hallux flexion, lesser toe flexion, and the metatarsophalangeal joint (MPJ) flexors were measured in a static position, and changes in the arch kinematics during RFS and FFS running were explored. After a 12-week intervention, 1) the normalized navicular height increased significantly in the INT group by 5.1% ( = 0.027, Cohen's = 0.55); 2) the hallux absolute flexion and relative flexion of the INT group increased significantly by 20.5% and 21.7%, respectively ( = 0.001, Cohen's = 0.59; = 0.001, Cohen's = 0.73), the absolute and relative strength of the MPJ flexors of the INT group were significantly improved by 30.7% and 32.5%, respectively ( = 0.006, Cohen's = 0.94; = 0.006, Cohen's = 0.96); 3) and during RFS, the maximum arch angle of the INT group declined significantly by 5.1% ( < 0.001, Cohen's = 1.49), the arch height at touchdown increased significantly in the INT group by 32.1% ( < 0.001, Cohen's = 1.98). The 12-week gait retraining program combined with foot core exercise improved the arch in both static and dynamic positions with a moderate to large effect size, demonstrating the superiority of this combined intervention over the standalone interventions. Thus, runners with weak arch muscles are encouraged to use this combined intervention as an approach to enhance the arch.
本研究旨在探讨为期12周的步态再训练计划结合足部核心锻炼对足弓形态、足弓肌肉力量和足弓运动学的影响。共有26名足弓结构正常且采用后足着地跑步方式（RFS）的男性业余跑步者被分为干预组（INT组）和对照组（CON组）（每组 = 13人）。INT组进行了为期12周的前足着地（FFS）训练并结合足部核心锻炼。CON组未改变原有的运动习惯。在干预前后，测量了静态下的足弓形态以及拇趾屈曲、小趾屈曲和跖趾关节（MPJ）屈肌的力量，并探究了RFS和FFS跑步过程中足弓运动学的变化。经过12周的干预后，1）INT组的标准化舟骨高度显著增加了5.1%（ = 0.027，科恩d值 = 0.55）；2）INT组的拇趾绝对屈曲和相对屈曲分别显著增加了20.5%和21.7%（ = 0.001，科恩d值 = 0.59； = 0.001，科恩d值 = 0.73），INT组MPJ屈肌的绝对和相对力量分别显著提高了30.7%和32.5%（ = 0.006，科恩d值 = 0.94； = 0.006，科恩d值 = 0.96）；3）在RFS过程中，INT组的最大足弓角度显著下降了5.1%（ < 0.001，科恩d值 = 1.49），INT组着地时的足弓高度显著增加了32.1%（ < 0.001，科恩d值 = 1.98）。为期12周的步态再训练计划结合足部核心锻炼在静态和动态位置上均改善了足弓，效应量为中等至较大，表明这种联合干预优于单独的干预措施。因此，鼓励足弓肌肉较弱的跑步者采用这种联合干预措施来增强足弓。
