Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Increased shoe bending stiffness increases sprint performance.

Darren Stefanyshyn1, Ciro Fusco

  • 1Human Performance Laboratory, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Sports Biomechanics
|April 15, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Increasing the bending stiffness of sprint shoes enhances sprinting performance. Optimal shoe stiffness is individual-specific and not predictable by simple anthropometrics, likely influenced by calf muscle dynamics.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Differences in head impact biomechanics between playing positions in Canadian high school football players.

Journal of sports sciences·2023
Same author

The influence of midsole shear on running economy and smoothness with a 3D-printed midsole.

Sports biomechanics·2022
Same author

Measuring Gait Velocity and Stride Length with an Ultrawide Bandwidth Local Positioning System and an Inertial Measurement Unit.

Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)·2021
Same author

Influence of Artificial Turf Surface Stiffness on Athlete Performance.

Life (Basel, Switzerland)·2020
Same author

Influence of forefoot bending stiffness on American football performance and metatarsophalangeal joint bending angle.

Sports biomechanics·2020
Same author

Influence of the composition of artificial turf on rotational traction and athlete biomechanics.

Journal of sports sciences·2019

Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Sports Science
  • Athletic Performance

Background:

  • Sprinting involves complex biomechanical interactions between the athlete and footwear.
  • The role of footwear properties, specifically bending stiffness, in optimizing sprint performance requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of increased bending stiffness in sprint shoes on sprinting performance.
  • To determine if anthropometric factors can predict optimal shoe bending stiffness for sprinters.

Main Methods:

  • Thirty-four athletes performed maximal 40m sprints under four shoe conditions: standard footwear and three systematically increased bending stiffness levels.
  • Sprint times were recorded between 20m and 40m to assess performance.
  • Anthropometric data (mass, height, shoe size, skill level) were collected for each athlete.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • On average, increasing shoe bending stiffness led to improved sprint performance.
  • The optimal shoe bending stiffness was found to be specific to each athlete.
  • No significant relationship was found between optimal shoe stiffness and subject mass, height, shoe size, or skill level.

Conclusions:

  • Increasing the bending stiffness of sprint shoes can enhance sprinting performance.
  • Optimal shoe bending stiffness is highly individualized and cannot be reliably predicted by simple anthropometric measures.
  • Individual biomechanical factors, such as calf muscle force-length and force-velocity relationships, may dictate the ideal shoe stiffness for maximal performance.