Foot Strike Pattern Detection Using a Loadsol® Sensor Insole
Abstract
Highlights
- Foot strike pattern detection using the loadsol® sensor insole method achieved high detection accuracy for rearfoot (94.7%) and forefoot (81.8%) strikes compared to a traditional kinematic approach.
- Runners exhibited mixed foot strike patterns, even at constant treadmill speeds, highlighting individual variability in running biomechanics.
- The loadsol® sensor insole shows potential for field-based, step-to-step monitoring of FSP and impact forces, aiding injury prevention and performance analysis.
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Participants
2.2. Experimental Procedures
2.3. Data Analysis
- FSPFSA: The foot strike angle (FSA) at the initial foot contact during running was calculated as the angle between the vector from the heel to the metatarsophalangeal markers and Y-axis of the global coordinate system. FSA at initial foot contact was subtracted from the value in the static position [3]. According to a previous study [3], FSPFSA was determined as FFS, MFS, and RFS when FSA < 1.68°, 1.68° < FSA < 8.08°, and 8.08° < FSA, respectively.
- FSPloadsol: Loadsol® could not measure the center of pressure owing to the limited number of pressure sensors. However, the FSP could be determined by the three pressure sensors in the rear-, mid-, and forefoot areas of the insole. FSPloadsol was defined as RFS, MFS, and FFS when the plantar force exceeded the body weight first in the heel, midfoot, or forefoot area during the first half of the stance phase, respectively.
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
FSP | Foot strike pattern |
RFS | Rearfoot strike |
MFS | Midfoot strike |
FFS | Forefoot strike |
GRF | Ground reaction force |
FSPFSA | Foot strike pattern determined by foot strike angle |
FSPloadsol | Foot strike pattern determined by loadsol® data |
Appendix A
References
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Speed | FSPloadsol | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
RFS | MFS | FFS | |||
FSPFSA | Slow (12 km/h) | RFS (n = 74) | 86.5% (n = 64) | 12.2% (n = 9) | 1.4% (n = 1) |
MFS (n = 133) | 33.1% (n = 44) | 39.1% (n = 52) | 27.8% (n = 37) | ||
FFS (n = 153) | 2.0% (n = 3) | 9.2% (n = 14) | 88.9% (n = 136) | ||
Medium (15 km/h) | RFS (n = 102) | 97.1% (n = 99) | 2.9% (n = 3) | 0.0% (n = 0) | |
MFS (n = 122) | 21.3% (n = 26) | 43.4% (n = 53) | 35.2% (n = 43) | ||
FFS (n = 136) | 0.0% (n = 0) | 22.1% (n = 30) | 77.9% (n = 106) | ||
Fast (20 km/h) | RFS (n = 106) | 98.1% (n = 104) | 0.0% (n = 0) | 1.9% (n = 2) | |
MFS (n = 130) | 51.5% (n = 67) | 29.2% (n = 38) | 19.2% (n = 25) | ||
FFS (n = 124) | 11.3% (n = 14) | 11.3% (n = 14) | 77.4% (n = 96) | ||
All speeds | RFS (n = 282) | 94.7% (n = 267) | 4.3% (n = 12) | 1.1% (n = 3) | |
MFS (n = 385) | 35.6% (n = 137) | 37.1% (n = 143) | 27.3% (n = 105) | ||
FFS (n = 413) | 4.1% (n = 17) | 14.0% (n = 58) | 81.8% (n = 338) |
ID | Self- Reported FSP | Slow (12 km/h) | Medium (15 km/h) | Fast (20 km/h) | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RFS | MFS | FFS | RFS | MFS | FFS | RFS | MFS | FFS | ||||
A | FFS/MFS | 0% (n = 0) | 0% (n = 0) | 100% (n = 30) | 0% (n = 0) | 0% (n = 0) | 100% (n = 30) | 0% (n = 0) | 0% (n = 0) | 100% (n = 30) | ||
B | FFS/MFS | 33% (n = 10) | 27% (n = 8) | 40% (n = 12) | 0% (n = 0) | 60% (n = 18) | 40% (n = 12) | 47% (n = 14) | 40% (n = 12) | 13% (n = 4) | ||
C | RFS | 93% (n = 28) | 0% (n = 0) | 7% (n = 2) | 100% (n = 30) | 0% (n = 0) | 0% (n = 0) | 90% (n = 27) | 0% (n = 0) | 10% (n = 3) | ||
D | FFS/MFS | 0% (n = 0) | 87% (n = 26) | 13% (n = 4) | 0% (n = 0) | 73% (n = 22) | 27% (n = 8) | 0% (n = 0) | 73% (n = 22) | 27% (n = 8) | ||
E | RFS | 100% (n = 30) | 0% (n = 0) | 0% (n = 0) | 100% (n = 30) | 0% (n = 0) | 0% (n = 0) | 97% (n = 29) | 3% (n = 1) | 0% (n = 0) | ||
F | FFS/MFS | 3% (n = 1) | 23% (n = 7) | 73% (n = 22) | 0% (n = 0) | 33% (n = 10) | 67% (n = 20) | 0% (n = 0) | 3% (n = 1) | 97% (n = 29) | ||
G | FFS/MFS | 0% (n = 0) | 57% (n = 17) | 43% (n = 13) | 0% (n = 0) | 50% (n = 15) | 50% (n = 15) | 0% (n = 0) | 50% (n = 15) | 50% (n = 15) | ||
H | RFS | 87% (n = 26) | 0% (n = 0) | 13% (n = 4) | 83% (n = 25) | 10% (n = 3) | 7% (n = 2) | 97% (n = 29) | 3% (n = 1) | 0% (n = 0) | ||
I | RFS | 0% (n = 0) | 0% (n = 0) | 100% (n = 30) | 50% (n = 15) | 0% (n = 0) | 50% (n = 15) | 100% (n = 30) | 0% (n = 0) | 0% (n = 0) | ||
J | RFS | 53% (n = 16) | 47% (n = 14) | 0% (n = 0) | 83% (n = 25) | 17% (n = 5) | 0% (n = 0) | 100% (n = 30) | 0% (n = 0) | 0% (n = 0) | ||
K | FFS/MFS | 0% (n = 0) | 0% (n = 0) | 100% (n = 30) | 0% (n = 0) | 0% (n = 0) | 100% (n = 30) | 0% (n = 0) | 0% (n = 0) | 100% (n = 30) | ||
L | FFS/MFS | 0% (n = 0) | 3% (n = 1) | 97% (n = 29) | 0% (n = 0) | 40% (n = 12) | 60% (n = 18) | 83% (n = 25) | 0% (n = 0) | 17% (n = 5) |
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Hata, K.; Yamazaki, Y.; Ishikawa, M.; Yanagiya, T. Foot Strike Pattern Detection Using a Loadsol® Sensor Insole. Sensors 2025, 25, 4417. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25144417
Hata K, Yamazaki Y, Ishikawa M, Yanagiya T. Foot Strike Pattern Detection Using a Loadsol® Sensor Insole. Sensors. 2025; 25(14):4417. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25144417
Chicago/Turabian StyleHata, Keiichiro, Yohei Yamazaki, Misato Ishikawa, and Toshio Yanagiya. 2025. "Foot Strike Pattern Detection Using a Loadsol® Sensor Insole" Sensors 25, no. 14: 4417. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25144417
APA StyleHata, K., Yamazaki, Y., Ishikawa, M., & Yanagiya, T. (2025). Foot Strike Pattern Detection Using a Loadsol® Sensor Insole. Sensors, 25(14), 4417. https://doi.org/10.3390/s25144417