Effect of Running on the Foot Morphology and Plantar Pressure Distribution of Male Amateur Runners

This study investigated acute effects of 10 km running on the foot morphology and plantar pressure distribution of male amateur runners. Three-dimensional foot scanning and plantar pressure analyses were performed for 15 participants before and after 10 km running. Results show that after running, foot dorsal height significantly decreased ((67.53±4.06)mm vs (65.33±3.99) mm, p=0.006) and forefoot width increased ((98.73±3.75)mm vs (99.94±3.73) mm, p=0.024) with no change in foot length/metatarsal parameters (p＞0.05). The structure parameters of foot arch exhibited 7.5% reduction in navicular height ((46.43±4.43)mm vs (42.97±5.50)mm, p＜0.001), 3.8% decline in arch height index ((36.05±2.55) vs (34.67±2.65), p=0.003), and 34.9% increase in navicular height difference ((4.31±1.49)mm vs (5.81±2.22)mm, p=0.048). Plantar pressure redistribution showed 24% elevation at medial first metatarsal region (6.68% vs 8.28%, p=0.017), 21% reduction at lateral fifth metatarsal region (6.09% vs 4.81%, p=0.008), and unchanged loading in other regions (p＞0.05). Morphological alterations correlated with foot pronation tendency. These findings indicate that arch collapse and forefoot expansion after long-distance running may exacerbate abnormal biomechanical loading. We propose redesigning long-distance running shoes with enhanced midfoot containment systems and forefoot width allowance to mitigate injury risks and improve comfort.