Premium
Four‐week habituation to simulated barefoot running improves running economy when compared with shod running
Author(s) -
Warne J. P.,
Warrington G. D.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/sms.12032
Subject(s) - running economy , barefoot , habituation , medicine , zoology , mathematics , physical therapy , heart rate , vo2 max , blood pressure , audiology , biology
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 4‐week familiarization to simulated barefoot running ( SBR ) on running economy ( RE ) when compared with shod running. Fifteen trained male runners (age: 24 ± 4 years; stature: 177.2 ± 6.21 cm; mass: 67.99 ± 7.36 kg and VO 2max 70.2 ± 5.2 mL/kg/min) were recruited. Subjects completed two RE tests, 24 h apart, in a random order, in both the SBR and shod condition (pretest) at 11 km/h and 13 km/h. Oxygen uptake, heart rate, stride frequency, and foot strike patterns were measured in both conditions. Subjects then completed a 4‐week familiarization period of SBR , before repeating the two RE tests (post‐test). At pretest, there was no significant difference in RE between SBR and shod running ( P = 0.463), but following the 4‐week familiarization period, RE significantly improved by 6.9% in the SBR condition compared with shod running (46.4 ± 0.9 vs 43.2 ± 1.2 mL/kg/min; P = 0.011). A significant improvement in RE was observed in the SBR condition (8.09%) between the pretest and post‐test (47.0 ± 1.2 vs 43.2 ± 1.2 mL/kg/min; P = 0.002). RE improved in the SBR condition as a result of familiarization, and became significantly lower in SBR compared with shod running.