PURPOSE This pilot study investigated biomechanical and physiological responses during walking and running on three surface materials: concrete, polyurethane, and cork. METHODS Four healthy young adult males completed barefoot walking at a speed of 1.4 m/s and running at 2.6 m/s on each surface under a randomized repeated-measures design. Tibial shock was quantified using a wireless inertial measurement unit attached to the distal tibia. Oxygen consumption (VO₂) and heart rate (HR) were measured using a portable metabolic analyzer and a heart rate monitor, respectively. RESULTS During walking, tibial shock tended to be lower on the cork surface in most participants. In contrast, no consistent surface-related pattern was observed during running, and substantial interindividual variability was evident. Heart rate remained relatively stable across locomotion conditions, although lower values were generally observed on cork and higher values on concrete surface. Oxygen consumption also exhibited considerable individual variability, with no clear differences detected among the surface conditions. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the findings suggest that cork surfaces may provide biomechanical advantages, attenuating impact forces during walking. However, physiological responses, including heart rate and oxygen consumption, appear to be less sensitive to surface materials. In addition, the results support the feasibility of the experimental protocol and provide a methodological foundation for future large-scale studies examining the effects of surface materials on locomotor performance.
