The Influence of "Super-Shoes" and Foot Strike Pattern on Metabolic Cost and Joint Mechanics in Competitive Female Runners

• Published in: Medicine and science in sports and exercise Vol. 56; no. 7; p. 1337
• Main Authors: Martinez, 3rd, Eduardo, Hoogkamer, Wouter, Powell, Douglas W, Paquette, Max R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2024
• Subjects: Adult; Ankle Joint - physiology; Biomechanical Phenomena; Energy Metabolism - physiology; Female; Foot - physiology; Gait - physiology; Humans; Oxygen Consumption - physiology; Running - physiology; Shoes; Young Adult
• DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003411

The objective of this study is to assess the influence of "super-shoes" on metabolic cost and joint mechanics in competitive female runners and to understand how foot strike pattern may influence the footwear effects. Eighteen competitive female runners ran four 5-min bouts on a force instrumented treadmill at 12.9 km·h -1 in 1) Nike Vaporfly Next% 2™ (SUPER) and 2) Nike Pegasus 38™ (CON) in a randomized and mirrored order. Metabolic power was improved by 4.2% ( P < 0.001; d = 0.43) and metatarsophalangeal (MTP) negative work ( P < 0.001; d = 1.22), ankle negative work ( P = 0.001; d = 0.67), and ankle positive work ( P < 0.001; d = 0.97) were all smaller when running in SUPER compared with CON. There was no correlation between foot strike pattern and the between-shoe (CON to SUPER) percentage change for metabolic power ( r = 0.093, P = 0.715). Metabolic power improved by 4.2% in "super-shoes" (but only by ~3.2% if controlling for shoe mass differences) in this cohort of competitive female runners, which is a smaller improvement than previously observed in men. The reduced mechanical demand at the MTP and ankle in "super-shoes" are consistent with previous literature and may explain or contribute to the metabolic improvements observed in "super-shoes"; however, foot strike pattern was not a moderating factor for the metabolic improvements of "super-shoes." Future studies should directly compare the metabolic response among different types of "super-shoes" between men and women.