TY - JOUR T1 - SportsMedUpdate JF - British Journal of Sports Medicine JO - Br J Sports Med SP - 1159 LP - 1160 DO - 10.1136/bjsm.2009.069435 VL - 43 IS - 14 AU - Martin P Schwellnus Y1 - 2009/12/01 UR - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/43/14/1159.abstract N2 - ▸ Wegener C, Burns J, Penkala S. Am J Sports Med 2008;36:2139–46.Background:Pes cavus (high arched foot) is associated with increased risk of injuries, presumably due to poor shock absorption — therefore, shock absorbing footwear (soft neutral shoes) is recommended for these patients.Research question/s:Do neutral-cushioned running shoes reduce in-shoe plantar pressure loading and improve comfort during running in athletes with cavus feet?Methodology:Subjects: 22 athletes (men = 16, 70.8+10.7 kg), with cavus feet (using the Foot Posture Index).Experimental procedure: All the runners were assessed and then performed overground running trials during which comfort (VAS) and plantar pressures were measured (in-shoe Novel Pedar-X system). Trials were randomised by footwear (a control condition — Dunlop Volley (Dunlop) shoe — and two neutral-cushioned running shoes (Asics Nimbus 6 — Asics, and Brooks Glycerin 3 — Brooks).Measures of outcome: Peak pressure (kPa) and pressure time integral (kPa.s) (whole foot, forefoot, midfoot, rearfoot), comfort (VAS).Main finding/s:Both peak pressure and pressure time integrals were significantly reduced by wearing neutral-cushioned running shoes.Comfort: the Asics Nimbus shoe was rated the most comfortable shoe — both neutral-cushioned running shoes were significantly more comfortable than the control shoe (p<0.001).Conclusion/s:In runners with pes cavus, neutral running shoes significantly reduce … ER -