Gait Asymmetry During a 5-Km Time Trial in Elite Runners: A Descriptive Study

Ammann, Rahel; Taube, Wolfgang; Wyss, Thomas

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-52770-3_2

Cited by 2 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…4,21,22 A previous study reported that the GCTs of the left foot were significantly longer than those of the right foot while running around the bend of a synthetic track. 10 In the current study, a previous injury was associated with gait asymmetry, with the athletes who had a previous injury having significantly enlarged gait asymmetry compared with those without a history of injury. Hence, our field measurements are in contrast to the findings of earlier studies of previously injured and noninjured subjects that found no difference in gait asymmetry measured in laboratory settings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 54%

“…A recent study reported similar results, finding no changes in gait asymmetry over the course of a 5-km time trial in elite orienteers. 10 However, other studies showed significant changes between start and end phases of time trials in step length, step frequency, GCT, or total stride duration. 24,25 Consequently, neither changes in gait asymmetry over a course of a time trial nor changes in gait asymmetry over the course of a complete high-intensity interval training session seem to be indicators of emerging fatigue in elite or well-trained athletes, respectively.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…This finding confirms former reported gait asymmetries of 2.6% to 3.6% in distance runners. [8][9][10] However, in some of these earlier studies, the data were based on treadmill running, 8,9 which was shown to decrease gait asymmetry. 11 To some extent, gait asymmetry appears to be natural, due to acquired individual running patterns and/or differences in leg length.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Regarding injury history, some earlier studies of athletes with and without a previous injury found no differences in gait asymmetry. 1,7,8 However, all the subjects in the aforementioned studies were either novice runners, 7 the assessments took place in a laboratory setting (on a treadmill) at submaximal speeds only, 1,[7][8][9] and only 1 trial 10 or a few gait cycles 9 were analyzed. Consequently, it is unclear whether these results are congruent with real practice during training or competition on realistic floor conditions.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Gait Asymmetry During 400- to 1000-m High-Intensity Track Running in Relation to Injury History

Gilgen-Ammann¹,

Taube²,

Wyss³

2017

International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance

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Purpose: To quantify gait asymmetry in well-trained runners with and without previous injuries during interval training sessions incorporating different distances. Methods: Twelve well-trained runners participated in 8 high-intensity interval-training sessions on a synthetic track over a 4-wk period. The training consisted of 10 × 400, 8 × 600, 7 × 800, and 6 × 1000-m running. Using an inertial measurement unit, the ground-contact time (GCT) of every step was recorded. To determine gait asymmetry, the GCTs between the left and right foot were compared. Results: Overall, gait asymmetry was 3.3% ± 1.4%, and over the course of a training session, the gait asymmetry did not change (F 1,33 = 1.673, P = .205). The gait asymmetry of the athletes with a previous history of injury was significantly greater than that of the athletes without a previous injury. However, this injuryrelated enlarged asymmetry was detectable only at short (400 m), but not at longer, distances (600-1000 m). Conclusion: The gait asymmetry of well-trained athletes differed, depending on their history of injury and the running distance. To detect gait asymmetries, high-intensity runs over relatively short distances are recommended.Keywords: imbalance, field condition, fatigue, inertial measurement unit, high performance Athletes and coaches assume that gait asymmetry affects athletic performance, as 1 of the lower limbs is exposed to more stress than the other. 1,2 Gait asymmetry can be the primary cause of an injury and it can be responsible for an injury. 1,3,4 Previously, gait asymmetries ranging from 3% for knee angle at touchdown to 54% for hip-angle velocity were reported in female runners, 5,6 suggesting that a single threshold level of normal to problematic gait asymmetry does not exist and that there are wide variations in gait mechanics and asymmetries. 1,18 Also, gait asymmetry may not be evident at the beginning of a race but may emerge with fatigue. Regarding injury history, some earlier studies of athletes with and without a previous injury found no differences in gait asymmetry. 1,7,8 However, all the subjects in the aforementioned studies were either novice runners, 7 the assessments took place in a laboratory setting (on a treadmill) at submaximal speeds only, 1,7-9 and only 1 trial 10 or a few gait cycles 9 were analyzed. Consequently, it is unclear whether these results are congruent with real practice during training or competition on realistic floor conditions. For instance, a previous study provided evidence that gait asymmetry is reduced on a treadmill. 11 Hence, to better understand the occurrence of gait asymmetry, data from well-trained runners over entire runs over various distances, at high speeds, and at high intensities need to be obtained in field measurements.The purpose of this study therefore was threefold: to quantify gait asymmetry in healthy well-trained runners during high-intensity track runs of different lengths and speeds (400-1000 m), to evaluate the effect of an injury in the previous 24 months on gait as...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 54%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gait Asymmetry During 400- to 1000-m High-Intensity Track Running in Relation to Injury History

Gilgen-Ammann¹,

Taube²,

Wyss³

2017

International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance

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“…As reviewed by Heil et al (8), most previous fatigue experiments focussed on assessing changes in asymmetries by examining potential pre-post differences (9,18,19), yet few have documented adjustments occurring at regular time points during the exhaustive protocol. Because asymmetry scores are largely metric-dependent, not only one parameter [e.g., contact time during a 5,000 m run (20)] should be measured to consider a runner as asymmetric (7). Another literature drawback is the use of separate (non-specific) tasks/procedures such as unilateral jump tests to detect asymmetry under fatigue (21), which may not depict "real" running demands since muscles are stressed differently.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Constant low-to-moderate mechanical asymmetries during 800-m track running

Girard,

Millet,

Micallef

2024

Front. Sports Act. Living

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IntroductionModifications in asymmetry in response to self-paced efforts have not been thoroughly documented, particularly regarding horizontally-derived ground reaction force variables. We determined the magnitude and range of gait asymmetries during 800 m track running.MethodsEighteen physical education students completed an 800 m self-paced run on a 200 m indoor track. During the run, vertical and horizontal ground reaction forces were measured at a sampling frequency of 500 Hz using a 5 m-long force platform system, with data collected once per lap. The following mechanical variables were determined for two consecutive steps: contact time and duration of braking/push-off phases along with vertical/braking/push-off peak forces and impulses. The group mean asymmetry scores were evaluated using the “symmetry angle” (SA) formula, where scores of 0% and 100% correspond to perfect symmetry and perfect asymmetry, respectively.ResultsThere was no influence of distance interval on SA scores for any of the nine biomechanical variables (P ≥ 0.095). The SA scores were ∼1%–2% for contact time (1.3 ± 0.5%), peak vertical forces (1.8 ± 0.9%), and vertical impulse (1.7 ± 1.0%). The SA scores were ∼3%–8% for duration of braking (3.6 ± 1.1%) and push-off (3.2 ± 1.4%) phases, peak braking (5.0 ± 2.1%) and push-off (6.9 ± 3.1%) forces as well as braking (7.6 ± 2.3%) and push-off (7.7 ± 3.3%) impulses. The running velocity progressively decreased at 300 m and 500 m compared to that at 100 m but levelled off at 700 m (P < 0.001).DiscussionThere were no modifications in gait asymmetries, as measured at 200-m distance intervals during 800-m track running in physical education students. The 800 m self-paced run did not impose greater mechanical constraints on one side of the body. Experimental procedures for characterizing the gait pattern during 800 m track running could be simplified by collecting leg mechanical data from only one side.

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Gait Asymmetry During a 5-Km Time Trial in Elite Runners: A Descriptive Study

Cited by 2 publications

References 17 publications

Gait Asymmetry During 400- to 1000-m High-Intensity Track Running in Relation to Injury History

Gait Asymmetry During 400- to 1000-m High-Intensity Track Running in Relation to Injury History

Constant low-to-moderate mechanical asymmetries during 800-m track running

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