Effect of a Gait Retraining Intervention and a Minimalist Footwear Transition on Foot-ankle Strength, Running Economy and Injury in Endurance Runners.

Effect of a Gait Retraining Intervention and a Minimalist Footwear Transition on Foot-ankle Strength, Running Economy and Injury in Endurance Runners.

Comparison Between Gait Retraining Intervention With a Transitioning Toward Minimalist Footwear on the Foot-ankle Strength, Running Economy and Injury Incidence in Endurance Runners: a One-year Follow up Study.

The main aim is to determine whether a gait retraining intervention will improve the strength of the foot-ankle muscle, the running economy and reduce the injury incidence in a one-year follow-up study. The secondary aim is to seek whether a minimal foot-ankle strength is necessary to reduce the risk to sustain to a running-related-injury to transit toward a forefoot strike pattern or toward a minimalist footwear for an endurance runner. Participants will be assessed at baseline, at 2 month follow-up, at 6 month follow-up and at 12 month follow-up. Assessment will be composed by questionnaires, a foot screening, maximal voluntary isometric strength of foot-ankle muscle with hand held dynamometer. Then, participants will run on a treadmill at self-paced and at 10 km/h with to measure their running economy and their footstrike pattern. In function of their distribution, participants will receive either nothing (control group) or minimalist footwear or a training to modify their footstrike pattern toward a more forefoot strike.

Participants will receive a training to modify their footstrike pattern toward a more forefoot strike and increase their cadence by 7.5%.

Measure of maximal voluntary isometric strength of ankle plantar flexors, hallux flexors, lesser toe flexors with hand held dynamometer.

Change from Baseline foot-ankle strength at 2 month follow-up, Change from Baseline foot-ankle strength at 6 month follow-up, Change from Baseline foot-ankle strength at 12 month follow-up

Measure of oxygen uptake was during steady state run on a treadmill at 10 km/h and at self-paced with was recorded using Ergocard device. Then, running economy was caluled with the formula: Energetic cost = 16.89 * Vo2 + 4.84*VCo2

Change from Baseline running-economy at 2 month follow-up, Change from Baseline running economy at 6 month follow-up, Change from Baseline running economy at 12 month follow-up

Inclusion Criteria: Run 15 km per week since minimum 6 month Exclusion Criteria: No running related injuries in the last 3 month before the participation. Have never worn minimalist footwear (minimalist index superior to 70%) Have never modified their footstrike pattern