Comparison of skate boot pressure of elite and recreational hockey players during the performance of forward crossovers

The purpose of this paper was to characterize and compare pressure patterns in the skate boot of elite and recreational players during the forward crossover turn. In-skate pressure patterns of eight elite varsity level hockey players (mean +/- SD: height (m) = 1.80 +/- 0.07, weight (kg) = 87 +/- 0.06) and eight recreational hockey players (mean +/- SD: height = 1.76 (m) +/- 0.06, weight (kg) = 82 +/- 0.07) were measured using fifteen piezo-resistive sensors per foot during the forward crossover skating stride. Each participant performed three trials in both the clock-wise (CW) and counter clock-wise (CCW) directions. For each trial the pressure profiles of three strides were cut and averaged according to ability groups and turn directions. The results showed that the elite skaters performed the skill quicker than the recreational skaters (6.85 (sec) +/- 0.114 vs 7.62 (sec) +/- 0.125), respectively (p < 0.01). Other significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in peak pressures on the plantar, medial and lateral surfaces between groups. No significant differences were found when turn directions were compared. These results show that recreational skaters differ from elite skaters by displaying higher peak pressures on the plantar surface and lower peak pressures on the lateral and medial surfaces. Also, pressures on the plantar, medial and lateral surfaces appeared to be higher on the inside foot when compared to pressures on the outside foot for both groups