Comparison of Ice Versus Treadmill Skating — Plantar Force Distribution Patterns
SourceDynamic plantar foot force measurements were compared between skating on ice (ICE) versus on a skating treadmill (TM). Four subjects skated at three forward speeds of 22, 24, 26 kph (or 6.1, 6.7, 7.2 m/s, respectively). Plantar force measures were obtained by using FScan™ sensors taped to the insole of a subject's right skate. In general, results indicate that the whole foot force-time patterns were similar between ICE and TM for equivalent speeds except for consistent differences during heel strike i.e., TM heel loading force values were approximately 30% greater than those observed during ICE skating (P>0.05). As skating speed increased, the latter differences diminished. Thus, with the exception of the heel loading, the skating TM replicates the overall pattern during forward skating, particularly during mid-support and toe-off phases of propulsion.