The influence of midsole rocker geometry on walking biomechanics

Abstract

Shoes with rocker profiles are commonly used, as they reduce the peak plantar flexion moment, and thus, the mechanical loading on the Achilles tendon. This may be explained by the decreased peak dorsiflexion angle, increased Achilles tendon moment arm and reduced force requirement to move the ankle (Sobhani et al., 2015). Besides kinematic differences, changes in electromyography (EMG) data were also found (Hoitz et al., 2020). Previous studies showed that a certain amount of time is required for EMG to adapt while running (Mohr et al. 2022). However, since EMG data may also be associated with changes in joint velocities, it is still unknown if kinematic data also requires adaptation time for rocker footwear. It is of even greater importance for rocker shoe studies to investigate the kinematic adaptation due to the large change in outsole geometry from a conventional shoe.