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Faculty of Medical Sciences

The effect of individually optimized rocker shoe designs on ankle power in individuals with plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinopathy

Wold, R. (Renske) (2020) The effect of individually optimized rocker shoe designs on ankle power in individuals with plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinopathy. thesis, Human Movement Sciences.

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Abstract

Introduction: Reducing load placed on the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia is important in management of Achilles tendinopathy (AT) and plantar fasciitis (FP). Previous studies showed that stiff rocker shoes with a proximal apex significantly reduce peak internal plantar flexion moment (IPFM) at the ankle. Despite this, an adverse effect of rocker shoes is the significant reduction in ankle power generation, where more proximal joints have to compensate for. Therefore, the current study aims to further investigate the effect of individually optimized rocker shoe designs on ankle power. Methods: 16 participants (7 AT/ 9 FP) participated in this pre-posttest design study. Lower extremity kinetics and kinematics were collected during both measurements while walking on an instrumented treadmill at preferred speed. During pre-test, participants wore standard shoes, during posttest individually optimized rocker shoe designs. Results: Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant decreases when wearing individually optimized rockers shoe designs compared to control shoes in peak ankle power generation (16.62%), peak IPFM (13.94%), peak plantar flexion angle (3.83°), and negative and positive work (0.05 J/kg) at the ankle joint. No significant differences were found in total work at the ankle joint, and in knee and hip peak power generation. Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) analyses showed a significant increase in ankle power (51.92% - 69.67% stance phase), significant decreases in IPFM (51.00% - 87.93% stance phase) and plantar flexion angle (34.94% - 86.33% stance phase). No clinically relevant significant differences were found in knee and hip power. Conclusion: Results indicate that the significantly reduced peak ankle power generation when wearing individually optimized rocker shoe designs is compensated within the ankle joint itself without an additional risk of developing overuse injuries in the knee and hip joints. Keywords: rocker sole, gait analysis, kinetics, kinematics, Statistical Parametric Mapping.

Item Type: Thesis (UNSPECIFIED)
Supervisor name: Otter, dr. A.R. den and Hijmans, dr. J.M. and Kouwenhove, L. van
Faculty: Medical Sciences
Date Deposited: 20 May 2022 11:50
Last Modified: 20 May 2022 11:50
URI: https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3391

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