An examination of Calf Raise Test protocol variations in healthy adults

This is a randomised cross-over study performed in a biomechanics laboratory in three parts to examine the effects of (1) cadence; (2) target height; and (3) footwear on outcomes. Participants will complete the calf raise test to fatigue following established protocols from Hebert-Losier et al. Participants will be asked to go up and down on their toes as many times as possible, standing on one leg on a 10 degrees incline following the beat of a metronome. To assist balance, individuals will be permitted to apply fingertip support at shoulder height on a wall in front of them. Participants will be instructed to lift the heel as high as possible for each calf raise, keeping the knee and trunk straight. A trained physiotherapist, strength & conditioning coach, or sport scientist with human movement expertise will supervise adherence to the test protocol. Participants will only complete one condition in one session. Therefore, participants will be asked to attend repeat sessions 7 to 14 days apart and perform the test in one condition, allocated in a randomised order, until all conditions are completed. Accordingly, the minimum washout period will be 7 days between conditions, and the maximum will be 14 days. A participant will therefore be involved in the study for a period of 2 to 4 weeks in total. Note that different cohorts of participants will be recruited to examine the effects of (1) cadence; (2) target height; and (3) footwear. Variation 1 (cadence): 1.a 60 bpm barefoot without an overhead target; 1.b self-selected cadence barefoot without an overhead target; 1.c as fast as possible cadence barefoot without an overhead target. Note that a pilot trial will be conducted where individuals only complete 10 repetitions, and attend one single session only with 20 minutes rest between conditions. This pilot trial is part of this registration. The number of participant is the same, with the purpose of testing participants in a non-fatigue state with relevance to training and rehabilitation. This pilot will take place before the fatigue experimentation, and analysed alongside the fatigue trial. Variation 2 (target height): 2a. 60 bpm, barefoot, without an overhead target; 2b. 60 bpm, barefoot, with an overhead target. Variation 3 (footwear): 3a. 60 bpm, barefoot, without an overhead target; 3b. 60 bpm, standardised footwear (Aero Glide 2), without an overhead target.