Immediate effect of visual, auditory and combined feedback on foot strike pattern

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Sports Science
• Wearable Technology

Background:

• Real-time feedback shows promise for retraining runners.
• Few studies comprehensively assess feedback types for foot strike and cadence modification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of visual, auditory, and combined real-time feedback on foot strike patterns and plantar loads.
• To investigate changes in foot strike and plantar loading during treadmill running with wearable device feedback.

Main Methods:

• Fifteen recreational runners received real-time visual, auditory, or combined feedback via wearable devices.
• Participants ran at self-selected and increased cadences while plantar loads and initial contact location were measured.
• Repeated measures ANOVAs with Bonferroni correction analyzed statistical significance.

Main Results:

• Feedback significantly altered the center of pressure location (p < 0.01).
• Plantar loads showed significant interaction effects (region x feedback), with reduced heel/midfoot loads and increased forefoot/great toe loads.
• Auditory feedback demonstrated potential effectiveness in modifying foot strike patterns.

Conclusions:

• Real-time feedback, particularly auditory, can effectively modify foot strike and alter plantar load distribution.
• Combining foot strike modification with increased cadence shifts loading patterns anteriorly.
• Wearable devices offer a viable tool for real-time running gait analysis and intervention.