The influence of morphological shape of the foot on dynamic loading forces was demonstrated in many studies (Morton 1937; Kolář 2006; Moriyasu and Nishiwaki 2009). But it has never been specifically studied during ice hockey skating.
Loading forces were investigated during ice hockey skating, but not in the contend a shape of the foot, but rather in contend the techniques of skating and push off strength (Kho 1996; Pearsall, Turcotte et al. 2000). It is normally considered that the shape of foot is the basic factor determining the ground reaction forces (GRF) (Nigg, Segesser et al. 1992; Kolář 2006).
The Laboratory of Extreme Loading (BEZ) has been designed and validated device for measuring GRF during skating. Using this newly established device was done a pilot study exploring the relationship between morphological shape of the foot and the loading forces.
As a morphological shape of a foot was rated the length ratio between first and second finger and the length ratio of first and third finger (phalanges length and metatarsophalanges length) to dynamics of loading force component Ft, bending force components Fo and point acting of the force on the skate blade- x during forward skating. The results were determined based on the correlation variables as the basis for further experiments.
In a pilot study has been demonstrated the interdependence of two foot shape characteristics with dynamic of the loading forces, both dependencies were demonstrated for the first and third metatarsophalanges ratio. Specifically, it was showed the dependency with first and third metatarsophalanges ratio to the moment of maximum loading force Ft, when the statistical significance level of p = 0.03 found concordance τr = 0.79.
In metatarsophalanges ratio of first and third finger was observed on the significance level of p = 0.02 the discordance τr = - 0.79 with the average position of the point of action of the force on skate blade- x.