College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations
Term of Award
Spring 2026
Degree Name
Master of Science in Kinesiology (M.S.)
Document Type and Release Option
Thesis (open access)
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Department
Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology
Committee Chair
Li Li
Committee Member 1
Barry Joyner
Committee Member 2
Nicholas Siekirk
Abstract
This study examined how footwear geometry, specifically stack height and heel width, influences lower-limb stiffness during treadmill running. Twelve recreationally active runners completed treadmill running trials at 4.44 m/s in nine prototype shoe conditions that differed in stack height (25, 45, and 65 mm) and heel width (81, 93, and 105 mm). Vertical stiffness, leg stiffness, and sagittal-plane hip, knee, and ankle joint stiffness were calculated from synchronized markerless motion capture and force data. A two-way repeated-measures ANOVA (stack height X heel width) was used to test footwear effects. Leg stiffness was not significantly affected by stack height or heel width. In contrast, vertical stiffness was significantly influenced by a stack height X heel width interaction. At HW93, vertical stiffness progressively decreased with increasing stack height, whereas different patterns were observed at HW81 and HW105. Knee stiffness also demonstrated a significant stack height X heel width interaction, with significantly lower knee stiffness at SH45 than at SH25 and SH65 under HW105. Ankle stiffness was significantly affected by stack height, with greater ankle stiffness at SH25 than at SH45 and SH65. Hip stiffness did not differ across footwear conditions. These observations suggest that footwear geometry does not substantially alter global leg stiffness during running, but can influence vertical stiffness and joint-specific stiffness regulation, particularly at the ankle and knee. The effects of stack height on stiffness depended on heel width for some variables, indicating that footwear geometry should be considered an integrated design feature rather than isolated components.
Recommended Citation
Duan, Hongjiao, "Influence of Footwear Geometry on Lower Limb Stiffness During Running" (2026). College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations. 3090.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/3090
Research Data and Supplementary Material
No
