Adaptações neuromecânicas agudas nos membros inferiores em resposta à corrida descalça

Abstract

Barefoot running has gained popularity among physical activity practitioners, but there is a lack of knowledge regarding the neuromechanical adaptations in the lower limbs in response to this running technique. The first sessions of barefoot running may result in biomechanics and sensorial acute adaptations including muscle soreness. However, such adaptations also can affect proprioception organs and the neuromuscular function due to fatigue of muscles recruited in a different manner of the usually patterns observed in shod running. As a result, runners assuming a barefoot technique will have more difficulties at the acute phase. The understanding about these adaptations can help to define the best way to insert barefoot running in the routine of runners willing to start barefoot running. Here we determine the acute adaptations in the lower extremity. Joint angles, plantar pressure, foot sensitivity, perceived effort and delayed onset 10 muscle soreness were compared between condition of shod and barefoot running in 13 participants. In conclusion, there is an acute effect of barefoot running on the strike patterns changing from rearfoot strike to forefoot strike and increase in static plantar pressure on the rearfoot after barefoot running. These factors contributed to the increase in neuromuscular recruitment of calf muscles (i. e. gastrocnemius and soleus) resulting in larger delayed onset muscle soreness after the barefoot running compared to shod running. Barefoot running also acutely increase foot sensitivity in the midfoot, which can be explained by the higher enrollment of this foot region with the impact absorption in the barefoot running. Finally, stride frequency increases in the barefoot condition, which suggest it as an alternative to reduce impact on joints and changing joint angles at the moment of foot strike. Barefoot running deserves attention in the acute phase of adaptation due to the important changes observed. Furthermore, there still the need to determine how many sessions can be necessary to see the acute changes incorporated into a chronic effect of this running technique.