The Role of Footwear on Plantar Pressure Performance during Badminton Movements

Abstract

In this investigation, we focus on three most frequently applied badminton footwork and analyze relations among the features of intensity of pressure, distribution of pressure, and the mean maximum pressure during the movements in order to improve technique and give available suggestions on footwear design and lower-extremity injury prevention. All subjects (N=10) performed three typical footwork movements: Left Front-court Lunge Steps (LFLS), Right Front-court Lunge Steps (RFLS), and Rear-court Revolve to Jump (RRJ) with the peak pressure and distribution of pressure collected by Medilogic insole measurement (300Hz) simultaneously. Due to the characteristics of footwork, the whole period was subdivided into two phases to be analyzed: toe-off (TO) and touch-down (TD). The results indicated that the metatarsal heads and lateral of heel proved to be the most contacting regions with the surface. Therefore, different areas of outsole should be designed with different materials respectively so as to disperse pressures. Stability for rear foot and ankle joint should be enhanced in terms with the shoe design in order to prevent potential lower-extremity injuries.