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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT05499871

Effect of a Gait Retraining Intervention and a Minimalist Footwear Transition on Foot-ankle Strength, Running Economy and Injury in Endurance Runners.

The main aim is to determine whether a gait retraining intervention will improve the strength of the foot-ankle muscle, the running economy and reduce the injury incidence in a one-year follow-up study. The secondary aim is to seek whether a minimal foot-ankle strength is necessary to reduce the risk to sustain to a running-related-injury to transit toward a forefoot strike pattern or toward a minimalist footwear for an endurance runner.

Participants will be assessed at baseline, at 2 month follow-up, at 6 month follow-up and at 12 month follow-up. Assessment will be composed by questionnaires, a foot screening, maximal voluntary isometric strength of foot-ankle muscle with hand held dynamometer. Then, participants will run on a treadmill at self-paced and at 10 km/h with to measure their running economy and their footstrike pattern. In function of their distribution, participants will receive either nothing (control group) or minimalist footwear or a training to modify their footstrike pattern toward a more forefoot strike.

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Key information

Conditions

Running Oxygen Consumption Wounds and Injuries

Age range

18 year–55 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Guillaume Abran

Liège, 4000, Belgium

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Run 15 km per week since minimum 6 month

Exclusion criteria

  • No running related injuries in the last 3 month before the participation.
  • Have never worn minimalist footwear (minimalist index superior to 70%)
  • Have never modified their footstrike pattern

Treatment and study plan

Gait retraining intervention

Behavioral

Participants will receive a training to modify their footstrike pattern toward a more forefoot strike and increase their cadence by 7.5%.

Transition to minimalist footwear.

Device

Participants will receive a running minimalist footwear.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in foot-ankle strength

    Time frame: Change from Baseline foot-ankle strength at 2 month follow-up, Change from Baseline foot-ankle strength at 6 month follow-up, Change from Baseline foot-ankle strength at 12 month follow-up

    Measure of maximal voluntary isometric strength of ankle plantar flexors, hallux flexors, lesser toe flexors with hand held dynamometer.

  2. Change in running economy

    Time frame: Change from Baseline running-economy at 2 month follow-up, Change from Baseline running economy at 6 month follow-up, Change from Baseline running economy at 12 month follow-up

    Measure of oxygen uptake was during steady state run on a treadmill at 10 km/h and at self-paced with was recorded using Ergocard device. Then, running economy was caluled with the formula: Energetic cost = 16.89 * Vo2 + 4.84*VCo2

  3. Running-related-injuries

    Time frame: At any time during the 12 month follow-up

    Number of running related injuries per participant

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Liege

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Comparison Between Gait Retraining Intervention With a Transitioning Toward Minimalist Footwear on the Foot-ankle Strength, Running Economy and Injury Incidence in Endurance Runners: a One-year Follow up Study.

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2024
First posted
Aug 12, 2022
Registry last updated
May 16, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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