Abstract
‘Super’ shoes improve running economy and endurance running performance (Hoogkamer et al, 2018; Joubert & Jones, 2022). However, they do not appear to improve jump performance or balance (Tousant et al. 2024). ‘Super’ shoes are designed with a light-weight, highly compliant and resilient midsole foam and a rigid carbon fiber plate. The foam material can store mechanical energy, i.e., compliance, and return the energy, i.e., resilience (Worobets et al, 2014); while the carbon fiber plate increases bending stiffness and manipulates the leverage of the ankle and metatarsophalangeal point, propelling the body upward and forward (Roy & Stefanyshyn, 2006). PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine if ‘super’ shoes alter lower limb joint kinematics of the knee and ankle in NCAA Division I athletes during dynamic movements. METHODS: Four racing shoes (three ‘super’ shoes and one traditional control shoe) were tested. Motion analysis (DARI®) of a countermovement vertical jump and unilateral vertical jumps were examined. Primary variables included flexion and torque at the knee and ankle. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA as well as multivariate general linear model with significance set at p < 0.05 (IBM SPSS, version 29). RESULTS: Twenty-seven varsity athletes from a variety of sports participated (10W: 175.0 ± 7.2 cm, 66.5 ± 8.3 kg & 17M: 180.4 ± 5.5 cm, 78.23 ± 10.7 kg). Significant differences were found in right knee concentric knee flexion at peak torque during the vertical jump (p = 0.015) with mean values for the Asics Metaspeed Edge, Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% 2, Saucony Endorphin Pro 2, & Under Armour Charged Pursuit 3 (control shoe) being 87.9 ± 16.5, 85.2 ± 11.6, 73.8 ± 9.18, & 81.29 ± 9.4 degrees respectively. No significant differences were found in jump height, peak knee or ankle torque, nor concentric ankle flexion at peak torque (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: ‘Super’ shoes changed jump kinematics, but not kinetics. Therefore, ‘super’ shoes may not be advantageous for athletes looking to increase jump performance by manipulating peak torque and flexion angles of the knees and ankles. Researchers acknowledge the differences in a low velocity countermovement jump, bilaterally and unilaterally, versus high velocity dynamic impact running. Further research on ‘super’ shoes should aim to specifically differentiate between shoe property differences in performance as well as to explore how individual biomechanical characteristics could affect sport performance in ‘super’ shoes.
Recommended Citation
Tousant, Marshall; Byun, Chaehyun; Martinez, Cheyenne; OLDHAM, MICHAEL D.; and Bernhardt, Vipa
(2025)
"'Super' Shoes Alter Jump Kinematics, But Not Kinetics,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 2:
Iss.
17, Article 24.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss17/24