Date of Graduation

5-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Health, Human Performance and Recreation

Advisor/Mentor

Dr. Kaitlin Gallagher

Committee Member/Reader

Dr. Michelle Gray

Committee Member/Second Reader

Dr. Tyrone Washington

Abstract

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this longitudinal study was to analyze the impact of the degradation in footwear, due to increased mileage, on the incidence of overuse injuries in the female distance runners on the Arkansas Cross-Country team over the course of four weeks. Methods: Eight female participants over the age of 18 from the University of Arkansas women’s cross-country team that trained in a neutral-ride running shoe were recruited. Each week subjects recorded their mileage and completed a pain survey over the FOOT, LOWER-LEG, KNEE, UPPER-LEG, HIPS, and LOWER BACK while midsole thickness of their training shoes was measured at five locations: posterior heel, lateral heel, medial heel, lateral metatarsal arch, medial metatarsal arch. Results: There was a statistically significant main effect of WEEK for all shoe deformation locations except for the left lateral metatarsal arch with a p-value of 0.005. TOTAL, FOOT, and LOWER-LEG pain scores over the four weeks for each subject showed no consistent correlation with increased time across all subjects. The regression analysis showed no consistent pattern or relevance between shoe degradation and mileage or between shoe degradation and injury score. Conclusion: The midsole thickness of neutral-ride running shoes decreases as mileage is placed upon it over time. The limitations of this study inhibit our ability to determine if this change in midsole thickness has a detrimental effect on the athletes’ overuse injury pain. Future studies should explore the changes in shoe characteristics throughout a season to determine if these changes play any role in an athlete’s ability to perform their best and deal with an injury.

Keywords

mileage, midsole, stress fracture

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