Kinematics and muscle activity when running in partial minimalist, traditional, and maximalist shoes

While several studies have examined kinematic and kinetic differences between maximalist (MAX), traditional (TRAD), or partial minimalist (PMIN) shoes, to date it is unknown how MAX shoes influence muscle activity. This study compared lower extremity kinematics and muscle activity when running in PMIN, TRAD, and MAX shoes. Thirteen participants ran in each shoe while whole body kinematics were recorded using motion capture and electromyography was recorded from seven leg muscles. Differences in kinematics and root mean square amplitudes (RMS) were compared between shoe conditions. There were small differences in sagittal and frontal plane ankle kinematics between shoe conditions, with the MAX shoes resulting in less dorsiflexion at foot strike (p = .002) and less peak dorsiflexion (p < .001), and the PMIN shoes resulting in greater peak eversion (p = .012). Gluteus medius (p.006) and peroneus longus (p = .007) RMS amplitudes were greater in the MAX shoe then the TRAD or PMIN shoes while tibialis anterior RMS amplitudes were higher in the PMIN shoes (p = .005) than either the TRAD or MAX shoes. Consistent with previous findings, these results suggest there are small differences in kinematics when running in these three shoe types. This may partly be explained by the changes in muscle activity, which may be a response in order to maintain a preferred or habitual movement path. Implications for these difference in muscle activity in terms of fatigue or injury remain to be determined.