Summary
Weakness of the intrinsic foot muscles may contribute to loading-related injuries, and supportive footwear may exacerbate this weakness by reducing the muscles’ functional demands during locomotion. Increased stimulation of these muscles can be achieved through minimalist footwear or targeted strengthening exercises. This study examined the effects of walking in minimalist footwear versus performing foot strengthening exercises on foot muscle size and strength.
Fifty-seven runners were randomly assigned to one of three groups: minimalist shoe walking (MSW), foot strengthening exercises (FS), or a control group (C). All participants maintained their usual running mileage. The MSW group progressively increased daily walking steps while wearing minimalist shoes, whereas the FS group performed progressive resistance foot exercises at least five days per week. Foot muscle strength (measured with custom dynamometers) and muscle size (measured by ultrasound) were assessed at baseline, week 4, and week 8. Mixed-model ANOVA was used to compare group differences over time.
Significant group-by-time interactions were observed for all strength and muscle size measures. Both the MSW and FS groups showed significant increases in foot muscle strength and size from week 0 to week 8, with some muscles demonstrating growth as early as week 4. No significant changes were observed in the control group.
These findings indicate that walking in minimalist footwear is as effective as targeted foot strengthening exercises for improving foot muscle size and strength. Because changing footwear may be easier to adhere to than structured exercise programs, minimalist shoe walking may offer a practical strategy to enhance intrinsic foot muscle function.
PMID: 30113521
DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001751
Abstract
Introduction
Weakness of foot muscles may contribute to a variety of loading-related injuries. Supportive footwear may contribute to intrinsic foot muscle weakness by reducing the muscles’ role in locomotion (e.g., absorbing forces and controlling motion). Increased stimulus to the foot muscles can be provided through a variety of mechanisms, including minimalist footwear and directed exercise.
Purpose
To determine the effect of walking in minimalist footwear or performing foot strengthening exercises on foot muscle size and strength.
Methods
Fifty-seven runners were randomly assigned to one of three groups—minimalist shoe walking (MSW), foot strengthening (FS) exercise, or control (C). All groups maintained their prestudy running mileage throughout the study. The MSW group walked in provided footwear, increasing weekly the number of steps per day taken in the shoes. The FS group performed a set of progressive resistance exercises at least 5 d·wk−1. Foot muscle strength (via custom dynamometers) and size (via ultrasound) were measured at the beginning (week 0), middle (week 4), and end (week 8) of the study. Mixed model ANOVA were run to determine if the interventions had differing effects on the groups.
Ridge ST, Olsen MT, Bruening DA, Jurgensmeier K, Griffin D, Davis IS, Johnson AW. Walking in Minimalist Shoes Is Effective for Strengthening Foot Muscles. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019 Jan;51(1):104-113. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001751. PMID: 30113521.