Changes in Plantar Pressure While Running with a Jogging Stroller

Abstract

Despite the common use of jogging strollers, only a few studies cover their influence on running patterns. Kinematic studies have shown differences in the upper body movement, while potential changes in plantar pressure remain unclear. Therefore, 30 healthy sport students were asked to run at a self-selected speed with and without a jogging stroller on a treadmill. Via bilateral insole pressure measurements, the plantar pressure distribution and the stride length were quantified. A significantly decreased pressure for running with a jogging stroller was found in the forefoot, metatarsus, inner edge, outer edge and for the total pressure of the left foot. The right foot showed similar significances for all foot areas except the metatarsus. Stride length was significantly shorter when running with a jogging stroller. As stride length and plantar pressure are known to correlate, the reduced stride length in running with a jogging stroller can partially explain the measured decrease in plantar pressure. Further, the partial weight-bearing, which is needed to keep the jogging stroller in line, can also contribute to the decrease in plantar pressure. Moreover, the unilateral weight-bearing enlarges the base of support and could also be a reason for the decrease in plantar pressure. In conclusion, our results show statistically significant changes in plantar pressure, but these are not of clinical importance as the effect sizes are very low. Therefore, no specific training recommendations for running with a stroller have to be made.