Functionally grouping male runners based upon individual responses to motion control running shoes: a laboratory based proof-of-concept study

Individual responses to different running shoes may offer a means of functionally grouping runners. Thus, the aim of this exploratory study was to explore whether changes in rearfoot eversion between running shoes with different motion control properties could be used to functionally group male runners and to explore the characteristics of each functional group. Fifty male participants ran at the same self-selected velocity, along a 20 m runway in standardised motion control and neutral/cushioned running shoes. Rearfoot motion was recorded using a 10-camera motion capture system. Functional groups were identified based upon changes in peak rearfoot eversion between footwear conditions. Positive responders displayed a reduction of ≥ 3°, negative responders an increase of ≥ 3° and non-responders changes within ± 3° when running in the motion control shoe. Eighteen participants were classified as positive, seven negative and 25 non-responders to the motion control running shoe. Exploration of participant characteristics, running velocity and rearfoot kinematics revealed that peak eversion in the neutral/cushioned running shoe and the change in peak eversion and eversion excursion between footwear conditions were significantly (p ≤ 0.021) different between responder groups. Positive responders displayed the greatest peak eversion in the neutral/cushioned running shoe and the largest reduction in both peak eversion and eversion excursion when running in the motion control shoe. In contrast, negative responders displayed the lowest peak eversion in the neutral/cushioned running shoe and smallest changes in eversion excursion in the motion control shoe. These findings highlight the feasibility of functionally grouping runners based upon their response to motion control running shoes and suggest that the magnitude of peak eversion influences responses to motion control running shoes.