Attenuation of spinal transients at heel strike using viscoelastic heel insoles: an in vivo study.

Background: The transients introduced at heel strikes were linked with increased risk for low back pain. The present study was designed to monitor the transients acting on the spinal column at gait, and to find out whether said transients are attenuated by interposition of a viscoelastic heel insoles.

Methods: A lightweight (2 g) accelerometer was held against the forehead with an elastic strap.

Prevention of overuse injuries of the foot by improved shoe shock attenuation. A randomized prospective study.

In a randomized prospective study among 390 recruits, the hypothesis that improved shoe shock attenuation could lessen the incidence of overuse injuries was tested. During the 14 weeks of training, 90% of the recruits sustained overuse injuries. Recruits training in a modified basketball shoe had a statistically significant lower incidence of metatarsal stress fractures and foot overuse injuries, compared with standard infantry boots, but their overall incidence of overuse injuries was not reduced.

Risk factors for stress fractures among Israeli infantry recruits.

In order to answer the question of why the stress fracture morbidity rates among Israeli infantry recruits are so high, we prospectively evaluated 392 infantry recruits for risk factors for stress fractures. Prior to training, each recruit underwent a detailed evaluation. Using multivariate analysis, five risk factors for tibial fractures were identified: shorter tibial length (p less than 0.

Risk factors for lateral ankle sprain: a prospective study among military recruits.

In a prospective study of risk factors for lateral ankle sprain among 390 male Israeli infantry recruits, a 18% incidence of lateral ankle sprains was found in basic training. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of lateral ankle sprains between recruits who trained in modified basketball shoes or standard lightweight infantry boots. By multivariate stepwise logistic regression a statistically significant relationship was found between body weight x height (a magnitude which is proportional to the mass moment of inertia of the body around a horizontal axis through the ankle), a previous history of ankle sprain, and the incidence of lateral ankle sprains.

Cyclic impacts on heel strike: a possible biomechanical factor in the etiology of degenerative disease of the human locomotor system.

The cyclic impacts induced by heel strike when walking were studied using both a high-resonance-frequency force plate and a low-mass skin-mounted accelerometer. The data were computer analyzed. The results showed that during normal human walking, the locomotor system is subjected to repetitive impact loads at heel strike, lasting about 5 ms and consisting of frequency spectra up to and above 100 Hz.