Influence of Running Shoes and Running Velocity on “Ride” during Running

Abstract

“Ride” has been established to subjectively describe the heel-to-toe transition during walking and running. Recently, a study was published aiming to quantify “ride” by linking it to the maximum velocity of the anterior-posterior (AP) progression of the center of pressure (COP) during the first 30% of the stance phase. While that study investigated the parameter when running at a constant velocity of approximately 3.5 m/s (i.e., 12.6 km/h), this study was carried out to evaluate the influence of running velocity on “ride” when running. Five healthy participants performed runs on a treadmill at 8, 10 and 12 km/h with three different running shoes, and their plantar pressure was measured at 300 Hz using pressure-sensing insoles. “Ride” was calculated as suggested by the previously mentioned study. In two of the three shoes, “ride” decreased with increasing running speed. Between the shoes, however, there is no clear image of how the shoes influence this parameter.