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Immediate Effects of Different Shoe Insole Designs on Selected Trunk Muscle Activity, Plantar Pressure Variables, and Comfort Levels During Walking, Running, and Military Marching
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Alireza Shams-odini *   , Hossein Shirvani , Mohammad-Hossein Ghasemi |
| Exercise Physiology Research Center, Lifestyle Research Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , alirezaot@bmsu.ac.ir |
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Abstract: (1 Views) |
This study investigated the immediate effects of different shoe insole wedges on selected trunk muscle activity, plantar pressure variables, and perceived comfort during walking, running, and military marching in healthy male students.
A semi-experimental repeated-measures design was employed involving 25 healthy male participants with a mean age of 24.23 years. Nine insole wedge conditions (no wedge, rear, front, medial, lateral, rear-medial, rear-lateral, front-medial, and front-lateral) were designed and manufactured using a 3D printer. Surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to record the activity of eight trunk muscles (rectus abdominis, external and internal obliques, latissimus dorsi, thoracic and lumbar erector spinae, multifidus, and quadratus lumborum). Plantar pressure distribution and subjective comfort levels were also measured during walking, running, and military marching tasks. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA followed by LSD post hoc tests.
Different wedge conditions had significant effects on the dependent variables. Overall, the rear-lateral and front-lateral wedge conditions produced the greatest changes in muscle activity, either increasing or decreasing activation depending on the muscle and task. These two conditions also induced significant alterations in plantar pressure distribution, particularly increasing pressure in the heel or forefoot regions. In terms of perceived comfort, the no-wedge and single-wedge conditions (e.g., front or medial wedge) received the highest comfort scores, whereas combined wedges such as rear-lateral and front-lateral received the lowest.
Shoe insole design with specific wedge placement can immediately modify trunk muscle activation patterns and plantar pressure distribution during various functional activities. While some wedge configurations (e.g., rear-lateral) may produce biomechanically desirable changes, they may also reduce perceived comfort. Therefore, in designing shoe insoles, especially for military or occupational settings, a balance must be struck between biomechanical objectives (e.g., reducing muscle load or modulating plantar pressure) and user comfort. Future studies are recommended to examine the long-term effects of these wedge configurations and their impact on special populations, such as individuals with foot deformities or low back pain.
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| Keywords: Shoe insoles, Wedge placement, Trunk muscles, Electromyography, Plantar pressure, Military marching |
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Full-Text [PDF 318 kb]
(1 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Policy Brief |
Subject:
Marine Medicine
Received: 2026/01/4 | Accepted: 2026/01/29 | Published: 2026/01/30
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