Barefoot running improves economy at high intensities and peak treadmill velocity

Reeves, Kevin, Corbett, Jo and Barwood, Martin (2015) Barefoot running improves economy at high intensities and peak treadmill velocity. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 55 (10). pp. 1107-1113. ISSN 0022-4707

[img]
Preview
Text
Reeves_et_al_JSMPF_2014.pdf - Accepted Version

Download (484kB) | Preview
Official URL: http://www.minervamedica.it/en/journals/sports-med...

Abstract

Aim: Barefoot running can improve running economy (RE) compared to shod running at low exercise intensities, but data is lacking for the higher intensities typical during many distance running competitions. The influence of barefoot running on the velocity at maximal oxygen uptake (vVO2max) and peak incremental treadmill test velocity (vmax) is unknown. The present study tested the hypotheses that barefoot running would improve RE, vVO2max and vmax relative to shod running.

Methods: Using a balanced within-subject repeated measures design, eight male runners (aged 23.1±4.5 years, height 1.80±0.06 m, mass 73.8±11.5 kg, VO2max 4.08±0.39 L·min-1) completed a familiarization followed by one barefoot and one shod treadmill running trial, 2-14 days apart. Trial sessions consisted of a 5 minute warm-up, 5 minute rest, followed by 4×4 minute stages, at speeds corresponding to ~67, 75, 84 and 91% shod VO2max respectively, separated by a 1 minute rest. After the 4th stage treadmill speed was incremented by 0.1 km·h-1 every 15 s until participants reached volitional exhaustion.

Results: RE was improved by 4.4±7.0% across intensities in the barefoot condition (P=0.040). The improvement in RE was related to removed shoe mass (r2=0.80, P=0.003) with an intercept at 0% improvement for RE at 0.520 kg total shoe mass. Both vVO2max (by 4.5±5.0%, P=0.048) and vmax (by 3.9±4.0%, P=0.030) also improved but VO2max was unchanged (p=0.747).

Conclusion: Barefoot running improves RE at high exercise intensities and increases vVO2max and vmax, but further research is required to clarify the influence of very light shoe weights on RE.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: vVO2max, vmax, incremental treadmill velocity
Subjects: C600 Sports Science
Department: Faculties > Health and Life Sciences > Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation
Depositing User: Becky Skoyles
Date Deposited: 04 Mar 2016 09:00
Last Modified: 01 Aug 2021 06:20
URI: http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/26293

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics