Article

Unstable shoes have been designed to promote "natural instability" and during
walking they should simulate barefoot gait, enhancing muscle activity and, thus,
attributing an advantage over regular tennis shoes.
Recent studies showed that,
after special training on the appropriate walking pattern, the use of the Masai
Barefoot Technology (MBT) shoe increases muscle activation during walking. Our
study presents a comparison of muscle activity as well as horizontal and vertical
forces during gait with the MBT, a standard tennis shoe and barefoot walking of
healthy individuals without previous training. These variables were compared in
25 female subjects and gait conditions were compared using ANOVA repeated
measures (effect size:0.25). Walking with the MBT shoe in this non-instructed
condition produced higher vertical forces (first vertical peak and weight
acceptance rate) than walking with a standard shoe or walking barefoot, which
suggests an increase in the loads received by the musculoskeletal system,
especially at heel strike. Walking with the MBT shoe did not increase muscle
activity when compared to walking with the standard shoe. The barefoot condition
was more effective than the MBT shoe at enhancing muscle activation. Therefore,
in healthy individuals, no advantage was found in using the MBT over a standard
tennis shoe without a special training period. Further studies using the MBT
without any instruction over a longer period are needed to evaluate if the higher
loads observed in the present study would return to their baseline values after a
period of adaptation, and if the muscle activity would increase over time.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS