The effects of shoe collar height on ankle sprain mechanics in athletes: A review of literature

Abstract

Background: Our aim was to conduct a review to summarize the existing information regarding the effects of shoe collar height in altering ankle sprain mechanics in athletes. Methods: A systematic literature search of PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus was conducted in September 2019. Results: There were 10 studies published from 1993 to 2019 that were included. Most studies showed high-top shoes limited ankle sprain kinematics and increased resistance to inversion moment in static but not dynamic testing. High-top shoes were associated with delayed pre-landing ankle evertor muscle activation and smaller electromyography amplitudes. Conclusions: There is currently weak evidence to support that high-top shoes can limit ankle sprain kinematics in dynamic testing. Further studies with more consistent study interventions and outcome variables are needed to definitively establish the effects of shoe collar height on ankle sprain mechanics in athletes. The Translational Potential of this Article: Multiple studies on the effects of shoe collar height and ankle sprain mechanics have been performed but there is a lack of consistency in terms of study design, intervention, and outcome measures. A formal systematic review and meta-analysis were not applicable due to the heterogeneity of studies, and mixed results from these studies can be confusing to interpret, making further research on this topic difficult as a result of lack of future direction. We summarized the existing literature on this topic to provide a clearer picture and guide future research on this controversial matter.