Effect of various carbon plate running shoes on peak tibial accelerations, lateral asymmetry and residual shock in running

Abstract

Carbon plate running shoes (CPRS) have significantly advanced running shoe technology, but their orthopaedic impact remains controversial. Remarkably, most running-related overuse injuries affect one leg only, although running is generally considered a symmetrical physical activity. Therefore, this study examined whether CPRS affect biomechanical loading and between-leg symmetry. Twenty-two trained amateur triathletes (13 men and 9 women) participated in a two-day trial. On day 1, ventilatory thresholds (VT1 and VT2) were determined through incremental treadmill testing. On day 2, participants completed five 3-min running trials at three different speeds [90% vVT1, 0.5(vVT1 + vVT2), and 100% vVT2] while wearing four different CPRS models, and their own non-CPRS. Inertial measurement units recorded time-continuous tri-axial tibial accelerations. Results show that peak tibial accelerations and, in parts, also residual shock varied across CPRS models (p < 0.021), but lateral asymmetry remained unchanged (p > 0.361). Interestingly, the findings varied between sexes and exhibited substantial inter-individual effects. These results suggest that increased injury rates possibly associated with CPRS might not be due to altered between-leg asymmetry, but perhaps because of other factors involving residual shock and/or tibial loading patterns during stance phase. Future research should explore these effects across a broader range of CPRS models.