Altering foot muscles trophism does not affect arch stiffness during running

The dynamic behaviour of the foot’s medial longitudinal arch (MLA) during running is an important feature capable of storing and returning energy to the system. The possibility of enhancing this feature through training may lead to changes in performance and injury prevention. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of an intrinsic foot muscle (IFM) exercises protocol on their volume and its influence on MLA range of motion and stiffness during running. Although there was a significant increase in the intrinsic foot muscle volume in the intervention group after 8 weeks, no significant differences were found in MLA stiffness during running.