A BIOMECHANICAL INVESTIGATION OF EXTERNALLY MANIPULATED TOES

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyse ankle kinematics and plantar pressure while running to investigate the biomechanics of externally manipulated *deformed toes and natural toes. Seven habitually barefoot male runners joined the test under toes binding (deformed) and separate (natural) conditions, and Vicon and Novel insole were taken synchronously to collect foot kinematics and plantar pressure. Ankle showed larger range of motion in the frontal plane while running under natural toes condition, though no obvious significance existed. The medial forefoot had smaller force time integral, and hallux had larger force time integral than those of running with deformed toes condition, with significance level p less than 0.05. The greater loading taken by hallux and smaller forefoot loading while natural toes running may attribute to the active gripping function of toes. It was important for the efficiency of windlass mechanism, which would be great beneficial for running performance improvement and foot (metatarsal) injury prevention.