Electromyographic Patterns of Muscle Activation During Running with Different Footwear at Different Speeds in Nulliparous Women: A Secondary Analysis

With the global increase in women’s participation in running, understanding factors like footwear in performance and injury prevention has become essential. Minimalist shoes (MSs) and traditional shoes (TSs) influence muscle activation patterns, affecting running technique. Proper coordination of th...

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Main Authors: María García-Arrabé, Fabien Guerineau, Beatriz Ruiz-Ruiz, Javier López-Ruiz, Mónica García-Mateos, María-José Giménez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Sensors
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/10/3016
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author María García-Arrabé
Fabien Guerineau
Beatriz Ruiz-Ruiz
Javier López-Ruiz
Mónica García-Mateos
María-José Giménez
author_facet María García-Arrabé
Fabien Guerineau
Beatriz Ruiz-Ruiz
Javier López-Ruiz
Mónica García-Mateos
María-José Giménez
author_sort María García-Arrabé
collection DOAJ
description With the global increase in women’s participation in running, understanding factors like footwear in performance and injury prevention has become essential. Minimalist shoes (MSs) and traditional shoes (TSs) influence muscle activation patterns, affecting running technique. Proper coordination of the core muscles is essential for efficient stride and posture. This study analyzed muscle activation in nulliparous women running in MSs and TSs at different speeds and explored the correlations with age and BMI. A crossover clinical trial assessed the EMG activation of the lumbar erector (LE), gluteus maximus (GM), pelvic floor, and internal oblique (IO) muscles during treadmill running at 6, 9, and 11 km/h. Fifty-one healthy women (26.55 ± 5.11 years; body mass index (BMI): 21.29 ± 2.07 kg/m<sup>2</sup>) participated. The protocol included a warm-up, 30 s runs at each speed, and a 5-minute washout between trials. The statistical analyses included Wilcoxon, Friedman, and Spearman’s correlation tests. GM and IO showed the highest activation (<i>p</i> < 0.001) regardless of the footwear or speed. No significant differences were found between MSs and TSs. Weak-to-moderate correlations emerged between BMI and LE muscle activation with MSs, and between BMI and IO with both footwear. Significant correlations were also found with IO activations, but none with PF muscles. The correlations between personal variables, shoe types, and muscle activation suggest that individual and external factors may influence neuromuscular modulation, impacting injury prevention and personalized interventions.
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spelling doaj-art-6eeb1dfb60674fba8f62d1398979adb32025-08-20T03:12:15ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-05-012510301610.3390/s25103016Electromyographic Patterns of Muscle Activation During Running with Different Footwear at Different Speeds in Nulliparous Women: A Secondary AnalysisMaría García-Arrabé0Fabien Guerineau1Beatriz Ruiz-Ruiz2Javier López-Ruiz3Mónica García-Mateos4María-José Giménez5Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Sports, European University of Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, SpainDepartment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Sports, European University of Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, SpainDepartment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Sports, European University of Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, SpainDepartment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Sports, European University of Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, SpainDepartment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Sports, European University of Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, SpainDepartment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Sports, European University of Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, SpainWith the global increase in women’s participation in running, understanding factors like footwear in performance and injury prevention has become essential. Minimalist shoes (MSs) and traditional shoes (TSs) influence muscle activation patterns, affecting running technique. Proper coordination of the core muscles is essential for efficient stride and posture. This study analyzed muscle activation in nulliparous women running in MSs and TSs at different speeds and explored the correlations with age and BMI. A crossover clinical trial assessed the EMG activation of the lumbar erector (LE), gluteus maximus (GM), pelvic floor, and internal oblique (IO) muscles during treadmill running at 6, 9, and 11 km/h. Fifty-one healthy women (26.55 ± 5.11 years; body mass index (BMI): 21.29 ± 2.07 kg/m<sup>2</sup>) participated. The protocol included a warm-up, 30 s runs at each speed, and a 5-minute washout between trials. The statistical analyses included Wilcoxon, Friedman, and Spearman’s correlation tests. GM and IO showed the highest activation (<i>p</i> < 0.001) regardless of the footwear or speed. No significant differences were found between MSs and TSs. Weak-to-moderate correlations emerged between BMI and LE muscle activation with MSs, and between BMI and IO with both footwear. Significant correlations were also found with IO activations, but none with PF muscles. The correlations between personal variables, shoe types, and muscle activation suggest that individual and external factors may influence neuromuscular modulation, impacting injury prevention and personalized interventions.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/10/3016electromyographypelvic floorminimalist shoescore stabilityfemale runners
spellingShingle María García-Arrabé
Fabien Guerineau
Beatriz Ruiz-Ruiz
Javier López-Ruiz
Mónica García-Mateos
María-José Giménez
Electromyographic Patterns of Muscle Activation During Running with Different Footwear at Different Speeds in Nulliparous Women: A Secondary Analysis
Sensors
electromyography
pelvic floor
minimalist shoes
core stability
female runners
title Electromyographic Patterns of Muscle Activation During Running with Different Footwear at Different Speeds in Nulliparous Women: A Secondary Analysis
title_full Electromyographic Patterns of Muscle Activation During Running with Different Footwear at Different Speeds in Nulliparous Women: A Secondary Analysis
title_fullStr Electromyographic Patterns of Muscle Activation During Running with Different Footwear at Different Speeds in Nulliparous Women: A Secondary Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Electromyographic Patterns of Muscle Activation During Running with Different Footwear at Different Speeds in Nulliparous Women: A Secondary Analysis
title_short Electromyographic Patterns of Muscle Activation During Running with Different Footwear at Different Speeds in Nulliparous Women: A Secondary Analysis
title_sort electromyographic patterns of muscle activation during running with different footwear at different speeds in nulliparous women a secondary analysis
topic electromyography
pelvic floor
minimalist shoes
core stability
female runners
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/10/3016
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