Effect of thoracolumbosacral braces on running ground reaction force components in male individuals with kyphosis

Background & aims: Braces are one of the methods for kyphosis treatment, but they can relocate the center of gravity of the trunk, affecting the ground reaction force (GRF) during running. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of two types of thoracolumbosacral braces on running GRF components in individuals with kyphosis. Materials & methods: Participants were 15 males diagnosed with kyphosis who volunteered in this quasi-experimental study. Each subject performed the barefoot running trials on the force plate with one simple brace, with a sensor brace, and without the brace condition. The ground reaction forces components were calculated in the stance phase. Statistical analysis was done with repeated measures test with a significant level of 0.05. Results: Peak medial ground reaction force when running with a sensor brace was lower than running with a simple brace (p = 0.017). Free moments were similar during three running conditions (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Lower maximum medial ground reaction force while using a sensor brace may possibly demonstrate the beneficial effects of a sensor brace in individuals with kyphosis.