| Objectives:The purpose of this study was to investigate the cushioning performance of basketball shoes across different wearing times. With the organic combination of mechanical, biomechanical and perceptual test the present study measured mechanical,kinetic,kinematic and perceptual variables during the performance of two maneuvers which were layup and drop landing. The results of this study will provide reference for shoe designing and manufacturing, also will be helpful for shoe selecting which customers will pay more attention.Methods:Fifteen male university basketball players (age:20.9±1.2 yrs, height: 178±3.0 cm, weight:73.4±7.6 kg) performed drop landing and layup maneuvers in each of the three identical test shoes (Hard, Medium, Soft) at 0 and 18,36,54, and 72 hours of wearing times. The shoes only differed in midsole hardness at heel region. Vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) and kinematic data of lower extremity the two maneuvers were sampled simultaneously using multiple wood-top force plates (AMTI-BP6009, 1000Hz) and high-speed video capture system (VICON-T020 Motion Systems,200Hz) respectively. Perceptual responses on three parameters (rear foot cushioning, rear foot stability and overall comfort) were measured after each test condition using a 150 mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Mechanical impact performance was measured with mechanical impact tester at each time condition. The shoe degradation condition was induced by asking the standard shoe wearers, who were similar age, height,size, weight, and playing position, to use only during typical training sessions in the university. All shoes were randomly presented in each of the time sessions across participants. A two-way 3x 5 (shoe x time) mixed factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures was applied to each dependent variable. Where significant differences were identified, the LSD correction method was used to determine where theylay. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05.Results:Interaction effects between shoe and time conditions were found for kinetic and mechanical variables during layup and mechanical test. In layup first step the higher peak vertical GRF and mean loading rate were found for Hard shoe compared to Medium and Soft shoe conditions (p<0.05) while shorter time to peak GRF and a lower impulse were also found for Hard shoe compared to Medium and Soft shoe conditions (p<0.05). The greater peak GRF and loading rate were found for latter time conditions than New shoe condition. In drop landing test, the higher 2nd peak vertical GRF and loading rate were found for Hard shoe compared to softer shoes (p < 0.05); A lower ankle eversion velocity was found for Medium shoe compared to Hard shoe (p< 0.05).The greater 1st and 2nd peak GRF and loading rate were also found for latter time conditions than New shoe condition. Also greater ankle eversion velocity and ankle eversion movement were found at 36h than New conditions (p< 0.05). In perceptual test, there was no significant difference found between shoes during layup first step. Better percevied heel cushioning and overall comfort were found for Soft shoe compared to Hard and Medium shoes (p< 0.05)during drop landing test. As to time effect, players perceived better at 36h than New and 72h conditions (p<0.05) during layup first step and drop landing test.Conclusions:Hard shoe demonstrated poorer perceived and biomechanical cushioning performance than the Medium and Soft shoes. Shoe degradation across wearing times would play a role in shoe comfort and cushioning performance. Soft shoe showed poorer wearing durability than the Medium and Hard shoes across wearing time. Also interaction effects between shoe and time conditions were found for shoe cushioning properties. Interestingly, mechanical test results were consistent with biomechanical results while there was no uniform conclusions have been drawn for preceptual results. |
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