The effect of footwear and foot orthoses on transverse plane knee motion during running - A pilot study

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the immediate effects of footwear and foot orthoses on transverse plane rotation of the knee joint during the stance phase of jogging gait.

Design: An experimental, within subjects, repeated measures design.

Methods: Three-dimensional knee kinematics were estimated in the transverse plane by surface-mounted markers as 14 asymptomatic participants ran in four randomised conditions; neutral shoe, neutral shoe with customised orthoses, neutral shoe with prefabricated orthoses, and a stability shoe. Peak internal/external rotation joint angles and ranges of motion (ROM) during loading response, midstance and propulsion were determined. Immediate subjective comfort was also recorded for each condition using a 100 mm visual analogue scale.

Results: Significant main effects of condition were observed for all outcomes except transverse plane knee ROM during loading response (p < 0.05). All significant differences occurred between the stability shoe and another condition, with less knee internal rotation in the stability shoe (mean differences ranged between 1.7° and 6.1°) (p < 0.05). The neutral shoe with prefabricated orthoses was reported as more uncomfortable than all other testing conditions.

Conclusions: The stability shoe reduced peak knee internal rotation throughout stance phase of jogging more than any other condition. Importantly, it was subjectively as comfortable as the other conditions. These results identify the ability for footwear alone to induce immediate proximal kinematic effects. The use of the kinematic theory behind foot orthoses therapy is also questioned.

Keywords: Biomechanics; Knee; Orthotic devices; Running; Shoes.