LAUSR

The main result of this study was that Spraino slide patches did not alter ground contact mechanics during a 180-degree change of direction task. In particular, the lack of a difference in horizontal GRF indicates that the use of the patches does not reduce friction and is therefore not detrimental to performance or mechanical safety. The observation that the EMG signals did not change during pre-contact as well as in a time window representing potential reflex-mediated activity (MEC; <120 ms) further supports the notion that stability was not compromised and that no slipping occurred. A manual screening of all trials confirmed this observation and showed that all subjects made initial contact with the medial side of the shoe. A significant increase in plantar flexor activity during late stance may be related to the push-off which may require higher activity of these muscles due to a different foot alignment. It can be concluded that the use of lateral slip patches may not compromise performance and ankle safety in 180degree change of direction tasks. It cannot be extrapolated if the patches would work in a case where the lateral sole of the shoe catches the ground (Wright et al., 2000) while it remains plausible that a protective effect exists.