Introduction: Numerous overuse injuries affecting the lower limbs of elite athletes have been associated with biomechanical alterations in plantar loading of the foot. This study aimed to analyze the plantar pressure distribution in elite male soccer players and its relationship with various morphological and functional factors, including foot type, metatarsal and digital alignment, and on-field position. Material and Method: Dynamic foot pressure measurements were obtained from 21 soccer players who participated in the UEFA Champion League. The participants had an average age of 27 years, with an average height of 180.9 cm, weight of 76.9 kg, and BMI of 23.4. An insole system (BioFoot/IBV) with telemetry transmission was employed to record plantar loading patterns during normal gait and running. Results: During the support or contact phase, the central and medial metatarsal areas exhibited the highest peak pressure under both walking and running conditions. When walking, the right foot exerted 13–60% more pressure on the outer metatarsal and toe areas. The left foot experienced up to 13% more peak pressure in the middle metatarsal area. During running, the total pressure difference between the feet ranged from −8% to +19%. The right foot usually had more peak pressure on the heel and first toe. In players with valgus feet, the pressure in the central metatarsal area increased from 1086 kPa (walking) to 1490 kPa (running), representing a 37% increase. Conversely, in players with cavus-varus feet, the pressure in this central area increased from 877 kPa to 1804 kPa, a 105% increase. Conclusions: Foot morphology and playing position significantly influenced the plantar pressure patterns in elite soccer players. The central metatarsal region bears the highest load, particularly during running, with distinct variations across foot types and field positions. These findings highlight the need for individualized biomechanical assessments to prevent overuse injuries and optimize performance.

Background: Plantar pressure analysis provides insight into load distribution at the foot–pedal interface during cycling; however, its modulation by pedaling power, cadence, and overuse injury status remains poorly understood by professional cyclists. It is unclear whether common overuse injuries, such as Achilles tendinopathy, patellofemoral pathology, and iliotibial band syndrome, are associated with distinct plantar loading patterns. This study aimed to characterize plantar pressure distribution in elite cyclists and determine how power, cadence, and injury status influence this pattern. Methods: Professional cyclists completed a single integrated protocol using a high-resolution in-shoe pressure system. Plantar forces were recorded across nine anatomical regions and grouped into the transverse and longitudinal segments of the foot. Three phases were included: absolute power manipulation (100 and 200 W), cadence manipulation (80 and 100 rpm) at fixed power, and an ecological combined protocol using relative power (1.5 and 3 W·kg⁻¹) with individualized cadence. The cyclists used their habitual bike setups. Participants were classified into the non-pathological (NP), AT, PFP, or ITBS groups. Mixed repeated-measures ANOVAs were used to analyze the effects of power, cadence, zone, foot, and injury status. Results: The plantar pressure distribution was consistently dominated by the medial forefoot. Increasing the absolute power from 100 to 200 W increased the maximal plantar pressures by 84.74% (p < 0.001), whereas increasing the cadence from 80 to 100 rpm at a fixed power increased the pressures by 15.90% (p = 0.003). Under individualized conditions, increasing relative power from 1.5 to 3 W·kg⁻¹ increased pressures by 39.59% (p < 0.001), whereas cadence had no global main effect but significantly altered the regional pressure distribution (p < 0.001). Injury groups showed pathology-specific deviations, including higher overall pressures and asymmetry in Achilles tendinopathy, bilateral asymmetry in patellofemoral pathology, and asymmetric loading patterns in iliotibial band syndrome. Conclusions: Power is the main determinant of plantar pressure, and cadence modulates load distribution. Overuse injuries induce pathology-specific pressure patterns, supporting plantar pressure analysis for injury prevention and performance optimization in athletes.