A preliminary study on the effects of insole material and foot strike pattern on shock attenuation during running

Introduction: We aimed to investigate the effect of Sorbothane insole insertion and foot strike patterns on shock attenuation during running. Methods: Nine male students participated in the study. Running was performed on a 15 m runway at a constant speed of 3.33 m/s. Two types of insoles (EVA and Sorbothane) and two-foot strike patterns (forefoot and rearfoot) were used, creating four experimental conditions. The tibial acceleration and vertical ground reaction force (GRF) were measured, and their peak and loading rate were calculated. A two-way ANOVA (insole × foot strike pattern) was performed. Results: Tibial acceleration showed no significant interaction. However, the peak and loading rate of vertical GRF were significantly higher in the rearfoot strike pattern. The Sorbothane insole significantly reduced the loading rate only in the rearfoot strike condition. Ankle joint angles showed differences depending on foot strike and insole type. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the foot strike pattern may has a greater influence on impact characteristics than the difference in insole material under the present conditions. While Sorbothane insoles may offer some benefits in reducing impact loading during rearfoot strike, further studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm these effects.