Abstract

Track and Field places significant demands on the body, especially the lower limbs, where the foot plays a critical role in performance. A potentially useful tool for assessing foot strength is the Enhanced Paper Grip Test (EPGT), which measures the grip force of the big toe. This study aimed to investigate how fatigue affects EPGT performance in track and field athletes, as well as explore any potential age-related differences and intra-session reliability. A total of 21 athletes, aged 14–32 years, were tested before and after a fatigue-inducing protocol consisting five sets of 50 ankle jumps. The results showed no significant reduction in toe grip strength post-fatigue, suggesting that fatigue did not impair performance, potentially due to post-activation potentiation. Moreover, significant differences were found between adolescents (age range = 14 – 15) and adults (age range = 22 – 32), with the latter demonstrating greater EPGT force both in absolute and body-mass-normalized values. The reliability among repetitions was good to excellent (ICC = 0.86 – 0.97). These findings highlight the robustness of EPGT performance under fatigue and its potential utility for assessing lower-limb function in athletes. Future studies should explore more specific fatigue protocols and investigate long-term adaptations across various athletic disciplines. Additionally, examining the influence of other factors such as foot morphology, training status, and sex differences may further enhance the understanding of foot strength and its role in athletic performance.

Keywords: Athletics, Fatigue, Toe Grip Strength Assessment, Lower Limb Strength