A biomechanical study of lower limb distal joint asymmetry during running using bionic shoe
Abstract
Lower limb asymmetry associated with running can reveal relevant information about sports injuries. Although the biomechanical study of bionic shoes (BS) has developed well, the understanding of how BS affects lower limb asymmetry during running is limited. The objective of this study was to compare the asymmetry between the dominant and non-dominant limbs of the participants under NS and BS conditions. The research involved the enrollment of 26 male individuals who were actively involved in running (age: 27.30 ± 3.70 years old, height: 1.72 ± 0.03 m, body mass: 66.70 ± 8.20 kg, body mass index: 22.40 ± 2.30 kg/m2). Participants were required to run at a speed of 12 km/h wearing BS and neutral shoes (NS) respectively. Lower limb asymmetry during running was analyzed by investigating biomechanical parameters such as range of motion, peak angular velocity, peak moment, power, and work of the bilateral knee and ankle during the running stance phase. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to determine the differences in joint biomechanics (p < 0.05) using a factorial design. Additionally, paired sample t-tests were conducted to determine the differences in symmetry angles (SA) for each of the analyzed biomechanical parameters. Compared to NS, BS optimized the asymmetry in knee (p = 0.015) and ankle (p < 0.001) angles between the dominant and non-dominant lower limbs during the push-off phase, and the BS optimized the asymmetry in knee extension work (p = 0.049) between the dominant and non-dominant lower limbs in the stance phase of running. However, it also resulted in increases in peak angular velocity (p = 0.049), power (p = 0.018), and work (p = 0.035) during dominant lower limb ankle dorsiflexion. Without considering the effects of the shoes, there would be differences in peak extension moment (p = 0.05) and flexion work (p = 0.005) of the bilateral knee during running, as well as differences in peak dorsiflexion angular velocities (p = 0.001) and plantarflexion work (p = 0.039) of the bilateral ankle. These differences can also affect the peak angular velocity in dorsiflexion and the work in plantarflexion. The findings suggest that BS improved asymmetry of the knee and ankle and demonstrated bilateral lower limb asymmetry during running. These findings provide insights into understanding sports injuries such as anterior cruciate ligament injuries of the knee and information relating to ankle sprains. The findings also offer beneficial information in the design of BS.
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