Skeletal transients during heel and toe strike running and the effectiveness of some materials in their attenuation

Because of the increased popularity of running, interest has focussed on ways of reducing injurious skeletal shocks. This paper examines heel and toe strike running styles and the effect of shock attenuating materials in reducing foot/floor contact forces and skeletal shocks. Using a force plate and an accelerometer, 18volunteers (10 men, 8 women) were studied and the following observations made. Firstly, toe striking reduced the skeletal transients and the rate of rise of foot loading. Secondly, the three materials studied (PPT, Viscolas and Cleron) all reduced the rate of foot loading in heel strike, but only one (PPT) affected the skeletal transient peak height during toe strike. No other significant results were obtained.