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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT04895501

Effects of Shoe Longitudinal Bending Stiffness

Carbon plates inserted in competitive running shoes have been increasingly used in the past 2-3 years and several investigations have shown that these plates increase the longitudinal bending stiffness (LBS) of the shoe. It leads to a redistribution of muscle work and to a modification of the force generation conditions, which may reduce the energy cost of running (Cr) and improve performance.

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Key information

Conditions

Runners

Age range

18 year–50 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Unités de Myologie et de Médecine du Sport

Saint-Etienne, 42055, France

About this study

Only one study has investigated the effects of LBS in running bouts longer than 8 minutes but on the biomechanics part, and their effects on neuromuscular fatigue and prolonged running performance. The aim of this study is to compare shoes with and without carbon plates during a prolonged (21 km) running exercise on Cr, plantar flexor neuromuscular fatigue and running kinetics and kinematics to estimate the changes high-LBS may induce on fatigue and subsequent performance.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • aged ≥ 18 and ≤ 50 years.
  • men
  • experienced, well-trained endurance runners with the capacity to run 21km in less than 1h 40 and who train more than 5h a week.
  • free from muscular, bone or joint injuries
  • free from neurologic disease
  • approval received from a physician

Exclusion criteria

  • currently participating in a structured exercise program
  • injury in the 3 months prior to the protocol
  • chronic joint pathologies (e.g.: repetitive sprains, patellar or ligament problems)
  • the intake of corticosteroids within 3 months (inhalation, infiltration or history of prolonged corticosteroid therapy).

Treatment and study plan

running flexible shoes

Other

21kms of running flexible shoes followed by a time-to-exhaustion run.

Primary outcomes

  1. energy cost of running

    Time frame: during the last 4 minutes of a 21km race

    amount of energy needed to travel a unit of distance

Secondary outcomes

  1. ankle plantar flexors

    Time frame: during the last 4 minutes of a 21km race

    ankle plantar flexors maximal voluntary contraction

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Effects of Shoe Longitudinal Bending Stiffness on Changes in Energy Cost of Running During a 21 km Run

Acronym: FAT-FLEX

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
May 20, 2021
Registry last updated
Jul 6, 2022

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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