Running Economy: Neuromuscular and Joint-Stiffness Contributions in Trained Runners

Abstract

Greater muscle pre-activation and bi-articular muscle activity during stance were associated with more economical runners. Consequently, trained runners who exhibit greater neuromuscular activation prior to and during ground contact, in turn optimise spatiotemporal variables and joint stiffness, will be the most economical runners.

Muscle Activation Patterns Correlate With Race Walking Economy in Elite Race Walkers: A Waveform Analysis

“…Specifically, greater medial gastrocnemius and lower tibialis anterior activation were associated with favourable race walking economy. A similar finding has been previously observed in runners at 12 km•h -1 although this was over the entire ground contact phase 18 . This study further details the temporal nature of this relationship that was found between 5-8% of the gait cycle in the medial gastrocnemius and 6-12% of the gait cycle in the tibialis anterior.…”

“…Large loading forces are experienced at initial ground contact, and the management of these forces is key to efficient energy transfer and reduced metabolic demand during ground contact 25 . Mechanisms to facilitate these forces appear to be associated with pre-activation 19 during terminal swing 16 and consequent joint biomechanics that enable efficient gait 18 . Thus, during initial ground contact, the biarticular muscle, biceps femoris appears to behave as a joint stabiliser for both the knee and hip, as similar findings have been found previously during running by Moore et al 26 and Heise et al 17 .…”

“…However, the key factor that might facilitate a more efficient oxygen cost of transport is the timing of muscle activation during the gait cycle 16 , as pre-activation of lower limb posterior musculature has been found to relate to better running economy 17,18 . This implicates the lower limb musculature in ground reaction force attenuation during braking at initial ground contact, this is achieved through optimising joint stiffness for a more efficient transfer of energy 19 .…”

Real-time feedback by wearables in running: Current approaches, challenges and suggestions for improvements

“…However, the biomechanical load will be distributed differently and hence load other tissues that may not be adapted to this load, thereby increasing injury risk. Changing from a heel strike to a forefoot strike, for example, increases plantar flexors and Achilles tendon forces, which may lead to plantar flexor strains and Achilles tendinopathy (Barnes et al, 2014;Folland et al, 2017;Gomez-Molina et al, 2017;Pizzuto et al, 2019;Santos-Concejero et al, 2013;Santos-Concejero et al, 2015;Santos-Concejero et al, 2017;Santos-Concejero et al, 2014b;Støren et al, 2011;Tam et al, 2018;Tartaruga et al, 2012;Tartaruga et al, 2009;Williams & Cavanagh, 1987)…”

Efeitos agudos dos alongamentos estático e dinâmico sobre as características biomecânicas da corrida

“…Considerando a capacidade do alongamento de interferir no desempenho da corrida de longas distâncias, e que existem características biomecânicas da corrida que podem contribuir para um melhor desempenho na corrida (ABE et al, 2007;ANDERSON, 1996;KILDING, 2015;MARTIN, 2001;LACOUR;BOURDIN, 2015;MOORE, 2016;SAUNDERS et al, 2004;TAM et al, 2017TAM et al, , 2018, entender o comportamento biomecânico da corrida em função desse estímulo pode contribuir no esforço de elucidar as adaptações do corpo humano ao alongamento.…”