Introduction
The primary objective of this investigation was to analyze the differential energy conservation capacities among a selection of insoles and foot orthoses. The augmentation of energy conservation between the foot and the substrate could potentially correspond to enhanced ground reaction force and, subsequently, improved performance efficiency. This study examined three distinct types of insoles and foot orthoses.
Experimental Design
A standard insole incorporated in the Hoka One One Clifton 8’s was employed as the control condition for this experiment. A sphere with a mass of 0.046 kg was released from a fixed height of 0.5956 m, for each trial. The potential energy associated with the sphere was evaluated using a specific equation (Potential energy equation), resulting in an energy value of 0.2694 J.
Upon release, the sphere interacted with the forefoot section of the insole, leading to a rebound. The apex of this rebound (bounce height) was meticulously measured. A high-speed camera was deployed to capture the rebound, which facilitated the determination of the rebound height.
Data Acquisition
Data corresponding to each evaluated insole was accumulated and subsequently contrasted with the control insole that was included in the Hoka One One Clifton 8’s.
Discussion
The control condition preserved 31.91% of the original energy measurement (0.00% increase, as this serves as the reference point). The Superfeet Blue preserved 34.06% of the initial energy measurement, translating to an increase of 2.14% compared to the control. Moreover, the inStryde insole conserved 38.30% of the initially computed energy, constituting a 6.38% increment in comparison to the control condition.
Conclusion
All of the examined insoles demonstrated an enhancement in energy conservation efficiency when contrasted with the control. The inStryde insole exhibited the most pronounced improvement, preserving an additional 6.38% of energy, which outperforms the nearest competitor by 4.24%.
