Trunk kinematic, kinetic, and neuro-muscular response to foot center of pressure translation along the medio-lateral foot axis during gait.
Footwear devices that shift foot center of pressure (COP), thereby impacting lower-limb biomechanics to produce clinical benefit, have been studied regarding degenerative diseases of knee and hip joints, exhibiting evidence of clinical success. Ability to purposefully affect trunk biomechanics has not been investigated for this type of footwear. Fifteen healthy young male subjects underwent gait and electromyography analysis using a biomechanical device that shifts COP via moveable convex elements attached to the shoe sole. Analyses were performed in three COP configurations for pairwise comparison: (1) neutral (control) (2) laterally deviated, and (3) medially deviated. Sagittal and frontal-plane pelvis and spine kinematics, external oblique activity, and frontal and transverse-plane lumbar moments were affected by medio-lateral COP shift. Transverse-plane trunk kinematics, activity of the lumbar longissimus, latissimus dorsi, rectus abdominus, and quadratus lumborum, and sagittal-plane lumbar moment, were not significantly impacted. Two linear mixed effects models assessed predictive impact of (I) COP location, and (II) trunk kinematics and neuromuscular activity, on the significant lumbar moment parameters. The COP was a significant predictor of all modeled frontal and transverse-plane lumbar moment parameters, while pelvic and spine rotation, and lumbar longissimus activity were significant predictors of one frontal-plane lumbar moment parameter. Model results suggest that, although trunk biomechanics and muscle activity were altered by COP shift, COP offset influences lumbar kinetics directly, or via lower-limb changes not assessed in this study, but not by means of alteration of trunk kinematics or muscle activity. Further study may reveal implications in treatment of low back pain.