BlOMECHANlCAL ANALYSIS OF VERTICAL JUMP WITH DIFFERENT FOREFOOT MORPHOLOGY

Abstract

This study examined biomechanical differences between habitually barefoot male and habitually shod male during vertical jump. Foot morphology was measured with Easy-Foot-Scan. Foot kinetics and ankle kinematics were obtained from EMED pressure platform and Vicon motion analysis system as completing vertical jumps under barefoot condition. The results showed that habitually barefoot subjects had a significantly larger minimal distance between hallux and other toes. habitually unshod subjects showed larger loading under hallux and medial forefoot, while habitually shod subjects presented larger loading under medial and central forefoot. in addition, habitually barefoot male had smaller ankle plantarflexion, eversion and external rotation during vertical jump. Differences of kinematics and kinetics during vertical jump might attribute to the morphological differences in the toes region, which possibly explain the foot injury risks between habitually barefoot and habitually shod individuals.