Effects of shoe weight on landing impact and side-to-side asymmetry

Shoes of different weights affect proprioception. Drop jump (DJ) tasks are often used to explore the risks and mechanisms of lower limb injuries. Leg dominance mainly refers to differences between the dominant and nondominant legs. Eight males and eight females participated in this study. The weights of the shoes in this investigation were 255 g, 335 g, and 415 g, and the heights of the DJ were 30 cm, 40 cm, and 50 cm. The side-to-side asymmetry of the time of contact initiation for the 30DJ was greater than that of the 40DJ and 50DJ, and the asymmetry for shoes weighing 415 g and 355 g was greater than that for shoes weighing 255 g. When the drop height increased, the side-to-side asymmetry of the peak ground reaction force (PGRF). also increased. The ground contact time increased as the drop height increased to 50DJ. Higher drop heights caused greater side-to-side asymmetry of the PGRF. Heavier shoes caused the peak ground reaction force time (PGRFT) in the nondominant leg to appear earlier, reduced the jump height and affected the performance. Heavier shoes caused greater side-to-side asymmetry at the initial ground contact and at the ground contact time, affecting training effectiveness.