Influence of barefoot and shod running on limb and joint stiffness characteristics during running

Research interest in the biomechanics of barefoot (BF) running has expanded considerably in recent years. In response to the recent interest in BF running, new footwear models have been developed that are designed to integrate the benefits of running BF into a shod condition (Sinclair, Hobbs, Currigan, & Taylor, 2013). Several BF-inspired shoe (BFIS) models are now commercially available and vary considerably in terms of their design characteristics. The importance of lower extremity limb stiffness is now recognised in biomechanical literature, as we seek to gain more insight into the mechanics of human locomotion and obtain more clinically relevant information regarding the aetiology of chronic lower limb injuries (Butler, Crowell, & McClay Davis, 2003). Limb stiffness during running has been associated with both performance and injury aetiology (Williams, McClay Davis, Scholz, Hamill, & Buchanan, 2003)