Measurement of forces exerted at takeoff of vertical jump

Abstract

In this paper, the relation of plantar loading during the pre-flight phase of a vertical jump and the jump height was studied using a shoe that has MEMS triaxial force sensors on its insole of the right shoe at four points, which were hallux, first metatarsal head, fifth metatarsal head, and heel. It was found that the hallux exerts the largest force among the four anatomical regions of the foot, making it the largest contributor to the downward propulsive force. It was also found that the impulse due to heel increases with increased jump height. Likewise, in higher jumps, the impulse due to metatarsal heads are lower in comparison to that due to hallux and heel, implying that the plantar load shift from heel to hallux during ascent phase occurs more quickly while jumping to a greater height.