PERFORMANCE & INJURY
PROTECTION RESEARCH

Study Overview

Seventeen pitchers from the Rangers organization threw a combined 231 fastballs during a lab-based session, with kinetic and kinematic data captured using AMTI force platforms and the KinaTrax motion capture system. Fifty-five discrete biomechanical metrics were analyzed comparing regular insoles to VKTRY Insoles.

Key Findings

Pitchers wearing VKTRY Insoles demonstrated statistically significant improvements across several critical performance metrics:

Greater drive leg engagement: Pitchers showed increased drive knee bend and improved drive leg propulsion impulse, meaning they were pushing off the mound more effectively.

Faster body speed down the mound: Linear body speed increased in both the forward and downward directions, contributing to greater potential ball velocity.

More extension at ball release: Pitchers achieved greater extension toward home plate at the point of release — a key factor in pitch accuracy and perceived velocity — without altering stride length.

Improved deceleration control: Lead leg braking impulse increased, indicating better body stabilization during the follow-through phase, which may help reduce injury risk.

What Pitchers Reported

Of the 17 pitchers tested, 14 responded positively to the insoles. Half of the group experienced a measurable velocity increase, with one pitcher gaining +3 mph (from 96 to 99 mph). Those who did not see a velocity jump reported that hitting their standard velocity felt easier and more effortless.

Conclusion

The study concluded that VKTRY Insoles may provide significant benefits to pitching performance — particularly in enhancing power, velocity, and movement efficiency. By helping pitchers engage their drive leg more effectively and achieve greater extension at release, the insoles show potential to optimize mechanics, improve consistency, and reduce mechanical stress on the body.

Study Overview

Twenty-eight elite NCAA Division II skill-position football players participated in a month-long study. Vertical jump and 40-yard sprint performance were measured using Kistler force plates, a Vertec jump system, and a PowerDash laser timing system. Each athlete was tested with a standard control insole and multiple VKTRY carbon fiber Insole stiffnesses (medium, stiff, and extra stiff) to identify each individual's optimal flex. All participants wore the same footwear to eliminate confounding variables.

Key Findings – Vertical Jump

When matched with their optimal VKTRY Insole flex, the 28 athletes in this study showed statistically significant improvements across every biomechanical metric measured:

• +4.1% increase in vertical jump height — an average gain of 1.0 inch (2.6 cm)
• +2.6% increase in ground force and +2.0% increase in impulse
• +7.6% increase in rate of force development (explosiveness)
• +3.8% increase in average power and +4.6% increase in peak power
• +3.8% increase in total work performed

Key Findings – 40-Yard Sprint

Among the same group of 28 athletes, sprint testing showed meaningful improvements in acceleration and top-end speed:

• 1.6% faster 0–10 yard split time — the critical acceleration phase
• 1.3% faster 20–40 yard split time — consistent with prior carbon fiber research
• +8.1% increase in rear foot peak force and +8.9% increase in front foot rate of force development
• +8.1% increase in peak power during the sprint start

Why Optimal Flex Matters

A critical takeaway from this study is that not all athletes respond the same way to a single insole stiffness. Performance gains were realized when each athlete was matched to his optimal VKTRY Insole flex based on body weight and movement biomechanics — reinforcing the importance of VKTRY's personalized flex system.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that among this group of 28 collegiate football players, VKTRY carbon fiber Insoles significantly improved both vertical jump height and sprint acceleration when athletes were matched to the correct insole stiffness. All biomechanical variables measured — force, impulse, rate of force development, power, and work — improved with the use of VKTRY Insoles, with gains ranging from 2% to over 9%.

Study Overview

Thirty-four NCAA Division II collegiate athletes — 15 males and 19 females — from six different sports (baseball, football, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and softball) participated in the study. Vertical jump, 10-yard sprint, and pro agility test performance were measured using a Vertec jump system and Zybek Sports laser timing systems. Each athlete was tested under two conditions: standardized footwear with a sham control insole and the same footwear with a VKTRY carbon fiber Insole. All participants wore the same shoe (New Balance Minimus 20v4) and the footwear condition was randomized to minimize learning and fatigue effects.

Key Findings – Vertical Jump

Athletes wearing VKTRY Insoles showed a statistically significant improvement in vertical jump height:

• +2.5% increase in vertical jump height — an average gain of 1.4 cm (p = 0.012)
• No interaction between footwear and gender — both male and female athletes experienced similar improvements
• 73.5% of all participants (10 of 15 males and 15 of 19 females) jumped highest in the VKTRY Insole condition

Key Findings – 10-Yard Sprint

Sprint testing showed a statistically significant improvement in acceleration:

• +1.5% faster 10-yard sprint time — an average improvement of 0.03 seconds (p = 0.020)
• No interaction between footwear and gender — both male and female athletes experienced similar improvements
• 73.5% of all participants (11 of 15 males and 14 of 19 females) had their fastest sprint in the VKTRY Insole condition

Key Findings – Pro Agility Test

Agility testing did not show a statistically significant improvement:

• 0.5% improvement in pro agility time — not statistically significant (p = 0.157)
• The researchers noted that increased insole stiffness may alter movement biomechanics during the 180-degree turns required in the agility test, potentially offsetting gains in linear speed

Key Findings – Footwear Comfort

There was no statistically significant difference in comfort ratings between the control and VKTRY Insole conditions, indicating athletes should be comfortable wearing the insoles during training and competition.

What This Study Adds

This study builds on the 2017 SCSU research in several important ways. It includes both male and female athletes across multiple sports, uses a sham control insole for a cleaner comparison, and confirms that performance improvements in jumping and sprinting are consistent across genders and sport types. The multivariate statistical test confirmed a significant overall effect of the VKTRY Insole across all three performance tests (p = 0.022). The results are consistent with prior research on carbon fiber footwear stiffness and athletic performance.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that among this group of 34 collegiate athletes, VKTRY carbon fiber Insoles significantly improved both vertical jump height and sprint acceleration. Performance gains were consistent across male and female athletes and across six different sports. While agility performance did not significantly improve, the researchers noted this may be due to the biomechanical demands of rapid direction changes. The results support the use of carbon fiber insoles as a tool for enhancing speed and power in athletic performance.

Study Overview

Thirty-two elite athletes ranging from 205 to 361 pounds and specializing in a variety of sports (football, baseball, hockey, track, and more) participated in indoor testing on turf. Each athlete performed three events — a 20-yard dash, a 3-cone agility drill, and a standing broad jump — first without VKTRY Insoles and then with three different VKTRY Insole flex levels (Low Pro, High Pro). All tests were measured using digital laser timing devices, and the best trial from each condition was used for comparison.

Key Findings – 20-Yard Dash

• The 32 athletes averaged a best time of 3.33 seconds without VKTRY Insoles and 3.21 seconds with them — an average improvement of 0.12 seconds.
• 82% of athletes improved their dash times with VKTRY Insoles, with 45% showing significant improvement.
• 34% improved their times by more than 0.20 seconds, and 2 athletes ran 0.38 seconds faster.

Key Findings – 3-Cone Agility Drill

• The 25 athletes tested averaged a best time of 4.68 seconds without VKTRY Insoles and 4.51 seconds with them — an average improvement of 0.17 seconds.
• 88% of athletes improved with VKTRY Insoles, with 64% showing significant improvement.
• 36% improved their times by more than 0.20 seconds, and 5 athletes ran 0.30+ seconds faster.

Key Findings – Broad Jump

• The 31 athletes tested averaged a best jump distance of 94 inches without VKTRY Insoles and 98 inches with them — an average improvement of 4 inches.
• 94% of athletes improved their jump distance with VKTRY Insoles, with 84% improving by more than 2 inches.
• 9 athletes (28%) jumped 5 or more inches farther with VKTRY Insoles.

Summary

Across all three events in this group of elite multi-sport athletes, the results were consistent. 89% of athletes showed some level of improvement with VKTRY Insoles, 64% showed significant improvement (greater than 2%), and 68% showed major improvement in one or more events (greater than 4%). Among the top 30% of responders, improvements reached 0.20 seconds faster in both the dash and agility drill and 6 inches farther in the broad jump. The top 10% saw gains of up to 0.30 seconds faster and 11 inches farther.

Study Overview

Eighteen athletes from the UConn Men's Soccer Team participated in the study, each performing 8 jumps per week over the 8-week testing period — totaling 1,458 jump trials. Performance was compared between standard insoles and VKTRY Insoles.

Key Findings

• 95% of players achieved personal bests in the vertical jump while wearing VKTRY Insoles.
• The average increase in jump height across the 18 athletes was 1.24 inches (+4.7%).
• Players reported that the VKTRY Insoles felt noticeably better and helped them jump and cut more effectively.

Conclusion

Over the course of this 8-week study, nearly every athlete on the UConn Men's Soccer roster saw measurable improvement in vertical jump height with VKTRY Insoles. The consistency of results across 1,458 total trials and the near-universal rate of personal bests suggest a meaningful performance benefit for explosive movements in soccer athletes.

Study Overview

The research measured deflection force and energy return potential across five VKTRY Insole Pro Levels (Pro 3 through Pro 7) at varying dorsiflexion angles, simulating the natural foot movement during athletic push-off. Results were compared against a shoe-only condition and a leading competitor insole.

Key Findings

• VKTRY Insoles demonstrated significantly greater energy storage and return potential than both the shoe-only condition and the competitor insole across all dorsiflexion angles tested.
• The competitor insole and shoe-only condition showed near-zero energy return — consistent with existing research showing that standard foam insoles lose 98–99% of stored energy through heat, friction, and vibration.
• Energy return scaled progressively with each Pro Level, confirming that higher Pro Levels deliver more spring for bigger or more powerful athletes. Pro 7 produced the highest force and energy return, while Pro 3 and Pro 5 provided lower, more appropriate levels for lighter athletes.
• The force-deflection curves showed a smooth, linear relationship — meaning the insoles store and release energy predictably and consistently throughout the push-off phase.

Why It Matters

This study validated the core engineering principle behind VKTRY Insoles: that aerospace-grade carbon fiber can store energy during foot contact and return it during push-off in a way that standard foam insoles simply cannot. It also confirmed that VKTRY's tiered Pro Level system effectively matches insole stiffness to athlete size and power output — ensuring each athlete gets the right amount of energy return for their body.

How It Was Tested

Fifteen players on the roster were tested on max approach touch height on two dates approximately six weeks apart. The first test (January 15) was performed without VKTRY Insoles. The second test (February 26) was performed after the players had worn and broken in their VKTRY Insoles over several weeks of regular use.

What the Coaching Staff Observed

• 12 of the 15 players tested (80%) recorded an improvement in their max approach touch height when wearing VKTRY Insoles.
• The average change across all 15 players was +1.0 inch.
• 4 players recorded a +2.0 inch improvement.
• 3 players showed no change between the two tests.

Important Context

These results were collected by the coaching staff during routine team testing — not in a controlled laboratory or clinical setting. Many factors beyond insole use can influence jump performance over a six-week period, including training adaptations, testing conditions, fatigue levels, and natural performance variability. These observations should not be interpreted as guaranteed results. Individual experiences may vary.

Background

Since 2017, VKTRY had received evidence that its Insoles helped reduce injuries and allowed athletes to recover more quickly from existing injuries. In 2019, VKTRY pursued clinical research through the Korey Stringer Institute to scientifically validate these claims. The study used a 12-camera 3D motion capture system operating at 240 Hz, synchronized with a force-plate-embedded treadmill at 1100 Hz, to capture three-dimensional biomechanical data. Lower limb joint rotations were tracked using 35 precisely located retro-reflective markers, and EMG signals were collected to assess changes in muscle activity.

Key Findings – Knee Protection

• VKTRY Insoles decreased frontal plane knee joint excursion (lateral movement) during running, which reduces stress and load on the knee.
• Less joint excursion equates to improved alignment, lowering the chance of ligament damage and degenerative knee conditions.
• Even small variations in knee alignment can result in stress on ligaments and degenerative damage — making this finding particularly significant for injury prevention and recovery from ACL, MCL, meniscus tears, bursitis, tendinitis, and osteoarthritis.

Key Findings – Ankle & Shin Protection

• VKTRY Insoles reduced the degree of dorsiflexion (loading up) needed for test subjects to exert a measured ground force, allowing the tibialis anterior tendon to work less during push-off.
• The Insoles provided better control of ankle eversion (rolling), resulting in improved joint stability and reduced risk of ankle injury.
• By decreasing ankle excursion (lateral movement), VKTRY Insoles kept the bones and joints of the foot within a more normal range of motion, reducing stress on the plantar fascia — a key factor in preventing shin splints, tibial stress syndrome, stress fractures, and anterior tibialis tendinitis.

Key Findings – Shock Absorption & Full-Body Impact

• Test subjects experienced significantly less ground reaction force (GRF) with VKTRY Insoles (10% reduction), especially once the athlete was fatigued.
• This indicates that the Insoles absorb more shock and distribute ground forces more evenly across the foot, reducing the pounding on the entire body and aiding in recovery from lower leg, hip, and back injuries.

Summary

The Korey Stringer Institute's research scientifically confirmed that VKTRY Insoles can help protect athletes across three critical areas. The Insoles improve knee alignment and stability during running, reducing stress and the likelihood of knee injuries. They provide added stability and protection for the ankle joint while reducing strain on the shin and plantar fascia. And they increase shock absorption by up to 10%, reducing overall load and stress on the body — particularly when fatigued. These findings support the potential for VKTRY Insoles to both decrease the risk of lower extremity injuries and help athletes recover more quickly from existing ones.

Study Overview

Thirteen patients (4 male, 9 female; mean age 56, range 35–79) diagnosed with 1st MTP arthritis were randomly assigned to one of two groups: VKTRY flexible carbon fiber Insoles (n=7) or the standard-of-care rigid Morton's extension insole (n=6). Patients were evaluated at baseline and at 2, 6, and 12 weeks using PROMIS patient-reported outcome measures covering pain interference, pain intensity, physical function, comfort, and compliance. This was a Level I randomized clinical trial — the highest level of clinical evidence.

Key Findings – Pain Reduction

• Patients wearing VKTRY Insoles experienced 9x greater improvement in pain interference compared to those wearing Morton's extension insoles.
• VKTRY Insoles also delivered 5x greater improvement in pain intensity versus the Morton's group.
• These differences were statistically significant at both the 6-week and 12-week follow-ups.

Key Findings – Compliance & Comfort

• 100% of patients in the VKTRY Insole group continued wearing their insoles through the full 12-week study period.
• In comparison, compliance in the Morton's extension group dropped from 83% at 2 weeks to just 50% at 12 weeks.
• Patients wearing VKTRY Insoles reported significantly higher comfort levels at every follow-up interval (p-values ranging from <0.001 to 0.007).

Key Findings – Physical Function

• Both groups showed clinically meaningful improvement in physical function scores compared to baseline, confirming that both orthotics provided therapeutic benefit.
• The VKTRY Insole group showed greater improvement in physical function, though the difference between groups did not reach statistical significance — likely due to the small sample size.

Conclusion

This Level I randomized controlled trial from Harvard Mass General demonstrated that VKTRY Insoles are a viable and potentially superior alternative to rigid Morton's extension insoles for the non-operative treatment of 1st MTP joint arthritis. Among the 13 patients in this study, VKTRY Insoles delivered significantly greater pain reduction, substantially higher comfort levels, and 100% patient compliance over 12 weeks. The researchers attributed the advantage to the elasticity of the carbon fiber insole, which absorbs ground reaction forces during walking while still allowing natural foot movement.

Study Overview

Forty-five patients (average age 56; approximately 2:1 female-to-male ratio) diagnosed with plantar fasciitis by foot and ankle surgeons at Mass General were enrolled between 2022 and 2024. Patients were randomly assigned to one of three insole groups: VKTRY carbon fiber Insoles, polyethylene (PE) insoles, or polyurethane (PU) insoles. All outcomes were measured at baseline and at 2, 6, and 12 weeks using the PROMIS pain intensity scale, PROMIS pain interference scale, the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), and a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain.

Key Findings – Pain Reduction

• All three insole groups showed statistically significant improvement in pain intensity over the 12-week study period — meaning all insole types provided some degree of relief.
• The improvement trend kicked in as early as the 2nd week for all groups.
• Carbon fiber (VKTRY) and PE insoles showed the most positive trends in reducing both pain intensity and pain interference, though pairwise comparisons between groups did not reach statistical significance — likely due to the smaller sample sizes within each group.

Key Findings – Compliance

• The VKTRY carbon fiber Insole group had the best compliance of all three groups — only one patient missed two endpoints and another missed one.
• This is consistent with the first FARIL trial, where VKTRY Insoles achieved 100% compliance versus 50% for the control group.

Key Findings – Plantar Pressure

• Supporting biomechanical research shows that carbon fiber insoles reduce peak plantar pressure in the medial heel — the area most affected in plantar fasciitis patients.
• Carbon fiber has also been shown to decrease the maximum tensile strain (windlass effect) on the plantar fascia when added to standard shoes, reduce ankle power demands without reducing functionality, and increase tibialis anterior and medial gastrocnemius muscle activation — all of which are relevant to treating and preventing plantar fasciitis.

Conclusion

This randomized clinical trial from Harvard Mass General found that carbon fiber and PE insoles showed positive trends in reducing pain intensity and pain interference in plantar fasciitis patients over 12 weeks. VKTRY carbon fiber Insoles demonstrated the highest patient compliance of all three groups. The researchers noted that future studies with larger sample sizes and a control group could further clarify the effects, particularly for higher-impact activities and in athletic populations where fatigue and cumulative pressure are additional factors.