Effects of Foot Strengthening on the Incidence of Injuries in Long Distance Runners

Not Applicable

Completed

Brief Summary: The main objective of this trial is to investigate the effects of a training protocol for the foot and ankle complex on the prevalence of running related injuries on long distance runners.

Detailed Description: Using a web software as a follow up tool, subjects can be scanned for injuries and have them confirmed by a physician, determining the injuries prevalence in one year.

Through force platform and infrared cameras, the kinematics and kinetics during gait will allow assessment of joint moments, power during propulsion, ankle and knee range of motion.

The hypothesis is that a strengthening program for foot and ankle muscles can alter the prevalence of lower limbs injuries on long distance runners, lowering the harmful forces that these segments receive. The participants will be randomly assigned into control group (placebo intervention) or into intervention group, that will receive an 8 weeks strengthening intervention, twice a week with the supervision of a physiotherapist and three times a week being remotely supervised by a software at home, for 30 minutes each session. This will aim for increasing foot and ankle range of movement and muscle strength.

Every exercise has its own progression depending on the subjects execution, increasing in intensity and difficulty.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

Exclusion Criteria

run using minimalist shoes or barefoot;
having prior experience in isolated foot and ankle strength training within the last year;
have any health condition that affect gait and running;
being receiving any physical therapy intervention;
having any running related injuries during the last two months.

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Control Group	Foot and ankle strengthening	Group will practice 15 seconds isometric lower limb stretching protocol and must continue practicing running as usual.
Foot and ankle strengthening	Foot and ankle strengthening	Group will be trained during 2 months by a physiotherapist for foot and ankle strengthening and must continue to exercise at home with a training software supervision. Must continue practicing running as usual.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Number of Participants With Running Related Lower Limb Injuries	1 year	Diagnosed running related lower limb injuries in recreational runners within 12 months of the study

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Vertical Loading Rate Force During Running	2 months	Vertical loading rate measured on a force platform during subject's runnning
Toes and Hallux Muscle Strength	2 months	Outcome measure under the hallux summed to toes while the subject is pressing their toes against a pressure sensor platform (sum of toes and hallux strength)
Foot and Ankle Running Kinematics	2 months	medial longitudinal arch range of motion during barefoot running on a treadmill
Foot Health and Functionality	2 months	Score of the Foot Health Status questionnaire - Brazilian version (domains: function and general foor health) - Scale of FHSQ (0-100 max, the higher the better)
Foot Eversion During Running	2 months	Shank to calcaneous eversion angle during barefoot running on a treadmill
Time to the First Injury	12 months	How long it takes to a diagnosed running related lower limb injuries to occur
Foot Inversion During Running	2 months	Shank to calcaneous inversion angle during barefoot running on a treadmill
Ground Reaction Forces During Running	2 months	Breaking forces (negative values as it is a decceleration force), vertical peak forces (positive values) measured on a force platform during subject's runnning
Foot Muscles Hypertrophy (Volume)	2 months	Intrinsic foot muscles volume measured by MRI