The influence of the metatarsophalangeal joint in determining sprint running performance

The goal of this project was to investigate the influence of mechanical aspects of the lower limb in relation to sprint running performance. This project was composed of two experiments. The specific aim of the first experiment (field test) was to determine the relationship between kinematics of the foot and sprinting performance. This experiment involved the measurement of sagittal plane kinematics of the foot and sprint time for 100m sprint races. The specific aim of the second experiment (lab test) was to determine the influence of varying the bending stiffness of sprint shoes on kinematic and kinetic parameters of the lower limb. This experiment required that participants complete a series of maximal sprints in sprint shoes of varying bending stiffness. In the second experiment, 3D kinematics and kinetics were measured at the 40m mark of the sprint, as well as sprint time from 30–50m.

Results of the field test illustrated that kinematics of the foot were related to 100m sprint time for both male and female athletes. Specifically, faster male athletes demonstrated large maximum MTP joint extension velocities and faster female athletes demonstrated large touchdown and small take-off posterior sole angles. Results of the lab test illustrated that increasing the bending stiffness of sprint shoes systematically decreased the amount of extension at the MTP joint. Furthermore, the bending stiffness in which athletes experienced maximal performance was determined by the amount of extension at the MTP joint.