Skip to main content
Download PDF

Volume 5 Supplement 1

3rd Congress of the International Foot and Ankle Biomechanics (i-FAB) Community

Effect of rollover footwear on metabolic cost of ambulation, lower limb kinematics, kinetics, and EMG related muscle activity during walking

Journal of Foot and Ankle Research volume 5, Article number: O4 (2012) Cite this article

Background

Footwear with a curved sole profile shifts the point of contact between the shoe and floor anteriorly compared to a flat shoe. There have been various reports of changes in ground reaction forces, external joint moments, and (rather inconclusively) muscle activity and energy consumption during walking in this “rollover” footwear [1–6]. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of two types of rollover footwear (one a new prototype) on walking speed, metabolic cost of gait, lower limb kinematics, kinetics and EMG muscle activity.

Methods

Twenty subjects walked in four footwear conditions: (1) a flat control shoe; (2) a flat control shoe weighted to match the mass of the new rollover shoe prototype; (3) the new prototype rollover shoe; (4) a MBT shoe. Data relating to metabolic energy and temporal aspects of gait were collected during a 6 minute walk test. Data on the lower limb kinematics, joint moments, muscle activity and foot pressure were collected during walking on a straight 10 metre course.

Results

The curved sole moved the contact point under the shoe anteriorly during early stance. This altered ankle moments and reduced ankle plantarflexion after initial contact. In mid stance the roll over footwear reduced ankle dorsiflexion and overall the ankle moved less in roll over footwear. Ground reaction force loading rates were increased by the rollover footwear. There were notable elevations in early stance calf EMG activity. Effects on energy cost of ambulation were negligible. Rollover footwear reduced plantar pressures under the heel and forefoot, and redistributed pressure towards the midfoot. Shoe weight had no effect on any parameters.

Conclusion

Rollover footwear is able to modify ankle kinematics and moments and the activity of some ankle musculature. Effects proximal to the leg were small. There were no effects on the temporal or energy aspects of gait.

References

  1. Nigg , et al: Effect of an unstable shoe construction on lower extremity gait characteristics. Clin Biomech. 2006, 21: 82-88. 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2005.08.013.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Romkes , et al: Changes in gait and EMG when walking with the Masai Barefoot Technique. Clin Biomech. 2006, 21: 75-81. 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2005.08.003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Myers , et al: Biomechanical implications of the negative heel rocker sole shoe: gait kinematics and kinetics. Gait Posture. 2006, 24: 323-330. 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2005.10.006.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Buchecker , et al: Lower extremity joint loading during level walking with Masai barefoot technology shoes in overweight males. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2010

    Google Scholar 

  5. Van Engelen , et al: Metabolic cost and mechanical work during walking after tibiotalar arthrodesis and the influence of footwear. Clin Biomech. 2010, 25: 809-815. 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2010.05.008.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Hansen , et al: Effect of rocker shoe radius on oxygen consumption rate in young able-bodied persons. J Biomech. 2011, 44: 1021-1024. 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2011.02.008.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

This work was funded by SSL International Ltd.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Health Sciences, University of Salford, UK

    Saeed Forghany, Christopher Nester, Barry Richards & Anna Hatton

  2. Musculoskeletal Research Centre, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran

    Saeed Forghany

Authors
  1. Saeed Forghany
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Christopher Nester
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Barry Richards
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Anna Hatton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher Nester.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0 ), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Forghany, S., Nester, C., Richards, B. et al. Effect of rollover footwear on metabolic cost of ambulation, lower limb kinematics, kinetics, and EMG related muscle activity during walking. J Foot Ankle Res 5 (Suppl 1), O4 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1186/1757-1146-5-S1-O4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1757-1146-5-S1-O4

Keywords

  • Ground Reaction Force
  • Joint Moment
  • Plantar Pressure
  • Ankle Dorsiflexion
  • Early Stance

Journal of Foot and Ankle Research

ISSN: 1757-1146