Muscles help give you a spring in your step
Anna Salleh, ABC
This is the first study to show that muscles in the feet help support the arch of the foot (Source: ValuaVitaly/iStockphoto)
New evidence about the active role muscles play in the foot could have implications for the design of running shoes and the debate on barefoot running, say researchers.
It could also provide insights into rehabilitation, prosthetics, robotics and our understanding of the evolution of bipedalism in humans, says Dr Glen Lichtwark, an exercise scientist at the University of Queensland.
He and colleagues publish their findings today in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface.
Everyone knows that muscles are very important in moving our legs, says Lichtwark, but muscles in the foot have been relegated to a less important role. To continue reading, please visit: http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2014/01/29/3933462.htm