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Barefoot running does not affect simple reaction time: an exploratory study.

ABSTRACT: Background:Converging evidence comparing barefoot (BF) and shod (SH) running highlights differences in foot-strike patterns and somatosensory feedback, among others. Anecdotal evidence from SH runners attempting BF running suggests a greater attentional demand may be experienced during BF running. However, little work to date has examined whether there is an attentional cost of BF versus SH running. Objective:This exploratory study aimed to examine whether an acute bout of BF running would impact simple reaction time (SRT) compared to SH running, in a sample of runners naïve to BF running. Methods:Eight male distance runners completed SRT testing during 10 min of BF or SH treadmill running at 70% maximal aerobic speed (17.9 ± 1.4 km h-1). To test SRT, participants were required to press a hand-held button in response to the flash of a light bulb placed in the center of their visual field. SRT was tested at 1-minute intervals during running. BF and SH conditions were completed in a pseudo-randomized and counterbalanced crossover fashion. SRT was defined as the time elapsed between the light bulb flash and the button press. SRT errors were also recorded and were defined as the number of trials in which a button press was not recorded in response to the light bulb flash. Results:Overall, SRT later in the exercise bouts showed a statistically significant increase compared to earlier (p < 0.05). Statistically significant increases in SRT were present at 7 min versus 5 min (0.29 ± 0.02 s vs. 0.27 ± 0.02 s, p < 0.05) and at 9 min versus 2 min (0.29 ± 0.03 s vs. 0.27 ± 0.03 s, p < 0.05). However, BF running did not influence this increase in SRT (p > 0.05) or the number of SRT errors (17.6 ± 6.6 trials vs. 17.0 ± 13.0 trials, p > 0.05). Discussion:In a sample of distance runners naïve to BF running, there was no statistically significant difference in SRT or SRT errors during acute bouts of BF and SH running. We interpret these results to mean that BF running does not have a greater attentional cost compared to SH running during a SRT task throughout treadmill running. Literature suggests that stride-to-stride gait modulation during running may occur predominately via mechanisms that preclude conscious perception, thus potentially attenuating effects of increased somatosensory feedback experienced during BF running. Future research should explore the present experimental paradigm in a larger sample using over-ground running trials, as well as employing different tests of attention.

SUBMITTER: Snow NJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5896505 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Barefoot running does not affect simple reaction time: an exploratory study.

Snow Nicholas J NJ Blair Jason F L JFL MacDonald Graham Z GZ Byrne Jeannette M JM Basset Fabien A FA

PeerJ 20180409

<h4>Background</h4>Converging evidence comparing barefoot (BF) and shod (SH) running highlights differences in foot-strike patterns and somatosensory feedback, among others. Anecdotal evidence from SH runners attempting BF running suggests a greater attentional demand may be experienced during BF running. However, little work to date has examined whether there is an attentional cost of BF versus SH running.<h4>Objective</h4>This exploratory study aimed to examine whether an acute bout of BF runn ...[more]

PMID: 29666760

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Project description:Background:Although the studies of barefoot running have intensified, it is still missing longitudinal work analyzing the effects of barefoot running on the phases of plantar support. The objective of this research was to analyze the modifications undergone by the Total Foot Contact (TFC) phase and its Flat Foot Phase (FFP) in subjects beginning the practice of barefoot running, in its acute and chronic effects. Methods:A total of 28 subjects were divided into the Barefoot Group (BFGr) (n = 16) and the Shod Group (SHGr) (n = 12), evaluated before (Baseline) and after running for 20 min at 3.05 m·s-1 (Post 20 min Running), and at the end of a running training protocol with an 8-week long progressive volume (Post-8-week Training). The dynamic plantar support was measured with a baropodoscope. The duration of TFC (ms), the moment at which the FFP occurred, the maximum surface of TFC (MSTFC) (cm2), the FFP surface (SFFP) (cm2), the peak pressure of TFC (PP°TFC) (kg·cm-2), and the peak pressure of FFP (PP°FFP) (kg·cm-2) were recorded. The 3 × 2 ANOVA analysis was made to determine the effects and interactions that the condition produced (Shod/Barefoot), and the time factor (Baseline/Post 20 min Running/Post-8-week Training). Results:The condition factor caused more significant effects than the time factor in all the variables. Duration of TFC in BFGr showed significant differences between the Baseline and Post-8-week Training (p = 0.000) and between Post-20-min Running and Post-8-week Training (p = 0.000), with an increasing trend. In the moment at which the FFP occurred a significant increase (p = 0.029) increase was found in Post-20 min Running (48.5%) compared to the Baseline (42.9%). In MSTFC, BFGr showed in Post-8-week Training values significantly higher than the Baseline (p = 0.000) and than Post-20-min Running (p = 0.000). SHGr presented a significant difference between the Baseline and Post-8-week Training (p = 0.040). SFFP in BFGr modified its values with an increasing trend (p = 0.000). PP°TFC in BFGr showed a significant decrease (p = 0.003) in Post-8-week Training (1.9 kg·cm-2) compared to the Baseline (2.4 kg·cm-2). In PP°FFP significant decreases were recorded in BFGr and between Post-8-week Training and Baseline (p = 0.000), and Post-8-week Training and Post 20 min Running (p = 0.035). Conclusions:The adaptation took place after the 8-week training. The adaptations to running barefoot were characterized by causing an increase of the foot's plantar support in TFC and in FFP, as well as a decrease of the plantar pressure peak in both phases. Also, there is an increased duration of the TFC and FFP, which may be related to an acquired strategy to attenuate the impacts of the ground's reaction forces.

Project description:Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) both are rare genetic neuromuscular diseases with progressive loss of motor ability. The neuromotor developmental course of those diseases is well documented. In contrast, there is only little evidence about characteristics of general and specific cognitive development. In both conditions the final motor outcome is characterized by an inability to move autonomously: children with SMA never accomplish independent motoric exploration of their environment, while children with DMD do but later lose this ability again. These profound differences in developmental pathways might affect cognitive development of SMA vs. DMD children, as cognition is shaped by individual motor experiences. DMD patients show impaired executive functions, working memory, and verbal IQ, whereas only motor ability seems to be impaired in SMA. Advanced cognitive capacity in SMA may serve as a compensatory mechanism for achieving in education, career progression, and social satisfaction. This study aimed to relate differences in basic numerical concepts and arithmetic achievement in SMA and DMD patients to differences in their motor development and resulting sensorimotor and environmental experiences. Horizontal and vertical spatial-numerical associations were explored in SMA/DMD children ranging between 6 and 12 years through the random number generation task. Furthermore, arithmetic skills as well as general cognitive ability were assessed. Groups differed in spatial number processing as well as in arithmetic and domain-general cognitive functions. Children with SMA showed no horizontal and even reversed vertical spatial-numerical associations. Children with DMD on the other hand revealed patterns in spatial numerical associations comparable to healthy developing children. From the embodied Cognition perspective, early sensorimotor experience does play a role in development of mental number representations. However, it remains open whether and how this becomes relevant for the acquisition of higher order cognitive and arithmetic skills.

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Barefoot running does not affect simple reaction time: an exploratory study.

Publications

Barefoot running does not affect simple reaction time: an exploratory study.

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