PEDOBAROGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FEMALE SOCCER PLAYERS AND SEDANTERIES DURING BAREFOOT WALKING AND BILATERAL STANCE

Abstract

The athletic function of the foot is also extremely important in soccer and constantly exposed to the full impact of weight bearing, because it plays a vital role as a contact point with the ground, absorbing abnormal forces, and main area of the body to kick the ball. The purpose of this study was to compare female soccer players and sedentary individuals in terms of plantar pressure distribution while walking and bilateral standing with barefoot. Eleven female soccer players (21.44±2.12 years, 162.25±5.77 cm, 53.12±6.01 kg, BMI=20.23±1.52 kg/m2, Experience=5.98±0.78 years) and 14 sedentary individuals (23.38±5.79 years, 164.92±5.88 cm, 56.31±6.56 kg, BMI=20.67±1.78 kg/m2) participated in this study. Participants performed self-paced walking and 30 seconds bilateral standing on a 1.5-meter walking platform with barefoot. Each footprint was divided into 12 areas as total foot, hindfoot, midfoot, forefoot, 1st metatarsal, 2nd metatarsal, 3rd metatarsal, 4th metatarsal and 5th metatarsal, big toe, second toes and toes 3-4-5. Maximum force [MF (N)], peak pressure [PP (kPa)], contact area [CA(cm2)], mean pressure [MP (kPa)] and maximum force normalized to body weight [MFNBW (N)] plantar pressure values were analyzed with Mann-Whitney-U test. Results indicated that sedentary group showed significantly higher CA in the forefoot, 3rd and 4th metatarsals; MF in 4th and 5th metatarsals; MP in 5th metatarsal, p<0.05. On the other hand, soccer players demonstrated significantly higher MP in the forefoot, 2nd and 3rd metatarsals and PP in 2nd and 3rd metatarsals, p<0.05. This study indicates that soccer players and physically inactive sedentary individuals demonstrate different plantar pressure patterns during gait and bilateral stance. Coaches and athletic trainers should consider these different patterns while planning intervention protocols.