Mechanical adaptation of achilles tendon after a 12-week minimalist running transition program

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a 12-week transition program with simulated barefoot running (SBR) on AT adaptation.Seventeen recreational male athletes without minimalist shoe running experience were randomly assigned to SBR group and MIN group. Each participant was distributed an appropriately fitted pair of minimalist shoes. The SBR group was involved in a 12-week transition program to forefoot strike pattern. The MIN group was asked to continue running with existing foot strike habits. The material properties and mechanical characteristics of AT changed significantly after a 12-week running transition program. Specifically, greater FAT_RUN was observed in SBR group than MIN group.