Foot strike pattern in children during shod-unshod running

•Motor skills such as running and jumping are essential in most children’s physical activities.•In children, FSPs are influenced by shod/unshod conditions.•RFS prevalence was similar between boys and girls.•Barefoot running alters FSPs from an RFS to a MFS and FFS.•Barefoot running causes alterations in foot rotation and INV/EVE. The purpose of this study was to determine the foot strike patterns (FSPs) and neutral support (no INV/EVE and no foot rotation) in children, as well as to determine the influence of shod/unshod conditions and sex. A total of 713 children, aged 6 to 16 years, participated in this study (Age=10.28±2.71years, body mass index [BMI]=19.70±3.91kg/m2, 302 girls and 411 boys). A sagittal and frontal-plane video (240Hz) was recorded using a high-speed camcorder, to record the following variables: rearfoot strike (RFS), midfoot strike (MFS), forefoot strike (FFS), inversion/eversion (INV/EVE) and foot rotation on initial contact. RFS prevalence was similar between boys and girls in both shod and unshod conditions. In the unshod condition there was a significant reduction (p