Exploring the effects of arch support height on badminton sidestep cutting using musculoskeletal modeling

Sidestep cutting is a fundamental yet high-risk movement in badminton, often placing considerable biomechanical stress on the lower limbs. Arch support insoles are commonly used to improve foot stability and redistribute loads, but their specific biomechanical effects during badminton movements remain unclear. This study investigated how different arch support heights influence lower limb mechanics during a 45-degree sidestep cutting (45C) maneuver in badminton players, with a focus on joint kinematics, kinetics, and contact forces. Fifteen male athletes performed 45C maneuver trials under three insole conditions: no support (NS), low support (LS), and high support (HS). Lower limb biomechanics were analyzed using musculoskeletal modeling in OpenSim, assessing joint angles, joint moments, and joint contact forces at the ankle, knee, and hip. A one-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to evaluate differences across conditions. The high-support condition significantly increased ankle dorsiflexion (P = 0.002) and knee external rotation (P < 0.001) compared with the no-support and low-support conditions. Hip extension moments were higher under the high-support condition (P = 0.043). Anterior-posterior ankle joint contact force increased under high support (P = 0.014), while no significant differences were observed in knee or hip joint contact forces across conditions. These findings describe acute mechanical responses under controlled laboratory conditions. Whether these responses relate to long-term movement strategies in different athlete populations remains to be clarified in future work.