A kinematic comparison of overground and treadmill running

Nigg, Benno M.; Boer, Ruud W. de; Fisher, Veronica

doi:10.1249/00005768-199501000-00018

Cited by 182 publications

(163 citation statements)

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“…The comparison of treadmill and overground running can be somewhat problematic, as joint angle kinematics may differ slightly, even though the cause of these discrepancies is not completely understood (Nelson et al, 1972;Nigg et al, 1995). Nonetheless, as long as the speed of the treadmill belt is constant, and dynamics and kinematics are not measured during belt acceleration, there exists no fundamental mechanical difference between treadmill and overground running (Van Ingen Schenau, 1980).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does a crouched leg posture enhance running stability and robustness?

Blum

Birn-Jeffery

Daley

et al. 2011

Journal of Theoretical Biology

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Humans and birds both walk and run bipedally on compliant legs. However, differences in leg architecture may result in species-specific leg control strategies as indicated by the observed gait patterns. In this work, control strategies for stable running are derived based on a conceptual model and compared with experimental data on running humans and pheasants (Phasianus colchicus). From a model perspective, running with compliant legs can be represented by the planar spring mass model and stabilized by applying swing leg control. Here, linear adaptations of the swing leg parameters, leg angle, leg length and leg stiffness, are assumed. Experimentally observed kinematic control parameters (leg rotation and leg length change) of human and avian running are compared, and interpreted within the context of this model, with specific focus on stability and robustness characteristics. The results suggest differences in stability characteristics and applied control strategies of human and avian running, which may relate to differences in leg posture (straight leg posture in humans, and crouched leg posture in birds). It has been suggested that crouched leg postures may improve stability. However, as the system of control strategies is overdetermined, our model findings suggest that a crouched leg posture does not necessarily enhance running stability. The model also predicts different leg stiffness adaptation rates for human and avian running, and suggests that a crouched avian leg * Corresponding author. Tel: +49-3641-945729, Fax: +49-3641-945732Email address: Yvonne.Blum@uni-jena.de (Yvonne Blum) April 30, 2011 posture, which is capable of both leg shortening and lengthening, allows for stable running without adjusting leg stiffness. In contrast, in straight-legged human running, the preparation of the ground contact seems to be more critical, requiring leg stiffness adjustment to remain stable. Finally, analysis of a simple robustness measure, the normalized maximum drop, suggests that the crouched leg posture may provide greater robustness to changes in terrain height. Preprint submitted to the Journal of Theoretical BiologyKeywords: Spring mass model (SLIP), Leg parameter adaptation, Human and avian locomotion List of symbols, terms and definitions Nomenclature

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does a crouched leg posture enhance running stability and robustness?

Blum

Birn-Jeffery

Daley

et al. 2011

Journal of Theoretical Biology

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“…However, the extent to which overground walking can be likened to treadmill walking is debatable, with contradictory results in the literature for many gait measures (Riley et al, 2007;Stolze et al, 1997;Alton et al, 1998). To this end, in addition to the distinct walking surface, its dimensions and movement, and the visual constraints associated with treadmill walking (Stolze et al, 1997;Nigg et al, 1995;Dingwell et al, 2001), handrail support may or may not be implemented. On the other hand, overground walking provides more familiar optic flow feedback and the option to freely modulate gait.…”

Section: Locomotor Modalities In Rehabilitation and Research 241 Ovmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This would likely have diminished over the 10-minute trial, contributing to a time-dependent change in a subject's stride interval as he or she became more familiar and confident with treadmill walking. A number of studies comparing overground and treadmill walking have also identified biomechanical differences in gait (Alton et al, 1998;Stolze et al, 1997;Nigg et al, 1995;Murray et al, 1985;Van Ingen Schenau, 1980;Riley et al, 2007;Savelberg et al, 1998;Dingwell et al, 2001;Matsas et al, 2000). These are largely explained in terms of mechanical differences in the walking surface, the loss of optic flow feedback, the constant-speed constraint, and behavioural adjustments to a less familiar task.…”

Section: A Locomotor Control Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of treadmill walking on the stride interval dynamics of children

Fairley

Sejdić

Chau

2010

Human Movement Science

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The stride interval of typical human gait is correlated over thousands of strides. This statistical persistence diminishes with age, disease, and pace-constrained walking. Considering the widespread use of treadmills in rehabilitation and research, it is important to understand the effect of this speed-constrained locomotor modality on stride interval dynamics. To this end, and given that the dynamics of children have been largely unexplored, this study investigated the impact of treadmill walking, both with and without handrail use, on paediatric stride interval dynamics. An initial stationarity analysis of stride interval time series identified both non-stationary and stationary signals during all walking conditions. Subsequent scaling analysis revealed diminished stride interval persistence during unsupported treadmill walking compared to overground walking. Finally, while the correlation between stride interval dynamics and gross energy expenditure was investigated in an effort to elucidate the clinical meaning of persistence, no simple linear correlation was found.ii DedicationTo my grandmother, whose inspiration I will carry with me always.iii Acknowledgements A sincere thank-you to my supervisor, Dr. Tom Chau, whose patience, support and guidance has allowed me to navigate the world of research. I am continually amazed by your dedication to your students and work, and am grateful for the knowledge and training that you have provided me.To my committee members, Dr. Karl Zabjek and Dr. Brian Maki, thank you for your invaluable feedback and advice.To the members of the PRISM lab, I am truly appreciative of your insights, perspectives and friendship. A special thank-you to Brian Nhan, Jorge Torres, Sarah Power and Stefanie Blain, with whom I shared an office, for your considerable help, thoughtful comments, good humour, and fun. Many thanks also to: Ervin Sejdić, for your expertise and contribution; Ka Lun Tam, for your technical wizardry; and Matthew Chang, for the thought-provoking discussions.

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“…Advantages of treadmills for laboratory testing include control of the settings and environment, thus reducing extraneous and confounding variables (22), while treadmills incorporating force plates additionally eliminate the effects of targeting which is often prevalent within gait analysis. Previous research has suggested that while there might be small kinetic and kinematic differences between overground and treadmill walking (2,26), the two are essentially equivalent (25,26).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in Gait During Constant Pace Treadmill Running

Hanley

Mohan²

2014

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

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Treadmills are often used by runners when weather conditions are adverse or a specific training effect is desired. Athletes might respond to fatigue differently when running on a treadmill compared with overground conditions, where pace is typically more variable. The purpose of this study was to measure changes in gait parameters over the course of a 10 km treadmill run. Fifteen male competitive runners ran at a constant pace for 10 km at 103% of season's best time on an instrumented treadmill with in-dwelling force plates, and data were analyzed at five distances. Kinematic data were derived from high-speed videography and results compared between the early and late stages. Prior to halfway, step length increased and cadence decreased, while during the latter stages there were significant decreases in impulse and maximum force. Contact time decreased and flight time increased continually, but otherwise most gait variables did not change. The changes in contact and flight times suggested athletes altered their gait so that more time was spent airborne to allow the treadmill to pass under them. In general, however, the runners maintained their techniques throughout the run. Constant pace treadmill running might therefore be useful with the aim of running for a particular distance and speed with a consistent technique unaffected by factors such as gradient or fatigue. However, the increase in flight time might have aided the runners due to the nature of treadmill running, and athletes and coaches should note that this training effect is impractical during overground running.

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A kinematic comparison of overground and treadmill running

Cited by 182 publications

References 0 publications

Does a crouched leg posture enhance running stability and robustness?

Does a crouched leg posture enhance running stability and robustness?

The effect of treadmill walking on the stride interval dynamics of children

Changes in Gait During Constant Pace Treadmill Running

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