A Biomechanical Investigation into the Dynamic Design of Toe Box Space in Basketball Shoes and the Kinetic Responses of the Knee Joint

Objective: The shoe last design of basketball shoes is associated with the injury risks of athletes during sudden stops, jumps, and landings to a certain extent. This study focus on two different designs of toe box space (TBS) in basketball shoes to explore the range of motion of the metatarsophalangeal joint (MPJ) and the impact on the mechanical characteristics of the knee joint during stop-jumping. Methods: Thirty male national first-level basketball athletes height: (189.3±4.95) cm; age: (23.4±1.14) years were recruited in this study. They were required to wear tight-fitting (TF) and loose-fitting (LF) basketball shoes respectively to complete biomechanical tests involving stop-jumping. Paired t-tests were used to conduct a comparative analysis of the kinematic and kinetic data under different TBS conditions. In addition, the Pearson correlation analysis method was employed to explore the relationship between MPJ range of motion and knee joint movement status. Results: The peak dorsiflexion/eversion angles of the MPJ in the TF group were significantly larger than those in the LF group. The forces on the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), patellar tendon (PT), and the anterior tibial shear force in the LF group were significantly lower than those in the TF group. The activation levels of the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis in the LF group were significantly higher than those in the TF group. The correlations between the MPJ flexion/extension/eversion angles and knee joint mechanical indicators (flexion angle, contact force, ACL/PT force) were stronger in the TF group. Conclusions: TF increases the range of motion of the MPJ by squeezing the toes, but LF suppresses abnormal hyperextension of the MPJ by providing ample toe space, thereby reducing its range of motion. Meanwhile, the potential injury risks to the ACL and PT are reduced together with the enhanced co-activation of the quadriceps femoris muscles.