When stepping down from a curb, individuals typically make initial ground contact with either their rearfoot or forefoot. The purpose of this study was to compare vertical ground reaction forces, lower extremity mechanics, and intra-limb work distribution when individuals adopt a rearfoot technique vs. a forefoot technique, during simulated curb descent. Sixteen subjects stepped down from a platform with both a rearfoot and a forefoot technique. Vertical ground reaction forces and sagittal plane joint kinematics and kinetics were examined for the lead limb during the step-down task. Paired t-tests were used for comparison. Subjects demonstrated greater ankle joint power and negative work, and less hip joint power and negative work, with the forefoot technique vs. the rearfoot technique. Total lower extremity negative work was greater for the forefoot technique vs. the rearfoot technique. The percent contribution to the total negative work was greater for the ankle joint, and less for the hip and knee joints, with the forefoot technique vs. the rearfoot technique. The results of this study may provide insight into how curb descent technique can be modified to alter lower extremity loading.

当从路边走下来时，个人通常会用后脚或前脚进行最初的地面接触。本研究的目的是在模拟路缘下降过程中，比较个体采用后足技术与前足技术时的垂直地面反作用力、下肢力学和肢体内功分布。16 名受试者使用后足和前足技术从平台上走下来。在降压任务期间检查了铅肢的垂直地面反作用力和矢状面关节运动学和动力学。配对 t 检验用于比较。受试者表现出更大的踝关节力量和负功，以及更少的髋关节力量和负功，前足技术与后足技术相比。与后足技术相比，前足技术的总下肢负功更大。前脚掌技术与后脚掌技术相比，踝关节对总负功的贡献百分比更大，髋关节和膝关节的百分比贡献较小。这项研究的结果可能有助于深入了解如何修改路缘下降技术以改变下肢负荷。