The Effect of Wearing the 'Nike Free'Shoe on Isokinetic Muscle Strength of Foot and Ankle and on Proprioception.

The Effect of Wearing the 'Nike Free'Shoe on Isokinetic Muscle Strength of Foot and Ankle and on Proprioception.

To evaluate the effect of wearing the 'Nike Free'Shoe on isokinetic muscle strength of foot and ankle and on proprioception the following protocol will be used.

The test population consists out of students of the physical education department. They will at random be divided in three groups. One group will wear the shoe only for daily activities, the second group will wear the shoes for the warming up part of the sport classes and the control group will not wear the shoe at all. There will be two moments for evaluation: one at the beginning of the study and one after four months, during which the shoe will be used. The isokinetic strength will be measured with an isokinetic device (Biodex) and the proprioception will be evaluated with a force platform (Neurocom Balance Master).

Inclusion Criteria:

• being a physical education student of the second or third year
• having read and signed the informed consent
• being new to the Nike Free Shoe

Exclusion Criteria:

• neurological or systemic diseases
• overuse injuries or orthopaedic surgery to the lower limbs during the previous six months
• familiar to or used to wear the Nike Free Shoe