The effect of varied stride rate upon shank deceleration in running

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of systematic changes in stride rate and length at a given running speed on the peak shank deceleration (PSD) experienced during ground contact. Data were collected from 10 well-trained subjects as they ran on a treadmill at a pace of 3.8 m s-1 (7-min mile-1). Shank deceleration was measured by a lightweight accelerometer which was tightly attached over the distal medial tibia. High-speed films (200 Hz) were taken from a side view to quantify modifications in sagittal plane movement which might have accompanied the stride rate changes. Five stride rate conditions were randomly presented - 10% slower, 5% slower, normal, 5% faster and 10% faster. Average PSD was computed from 10 steps during each condition and testing was repeated on three different occasions. For each session, PSD observed for each condition was normalized to that observed at the normal stride rate in order to minimize the effects of variations in attachment of the accelerometer between and within subjects. The normalized PSD results at each stride rate tested were - normal = 1.0, 10% slower = 1.09, 5% slower = 1.03, 5% faster = 0.96 and 10% faster = 0.91. Significant differences were found between all these means except normal and 5% slower. The kinematic analysis revealed non-significant results for hip, knee and ankle joint angles at touchdown for the various stride rates. Application of the findings to existing analytical models indicated that, for a given running speed, peak impact forces in the ankle and knee joints decreased as stride rate increased.

A Comparison of Negative Joint Work and Vertical Ground Reaction Force Loading Rates in Chi Runners and Rearfoot-Striking Runners

“…24,33 Three-dimensional kinematic data were captured using an 8-camera Vicon Nexus MX40+ system (OMG plc, Oxford, UK) at 240 Hz. 3,4,6,17,21,32,33,43 A Handycam HDR-CX150 (Sony Corporation, Tokyo, Japan), sampling at 60 Hz, was positioned perpendicular to the treadmill to obtain a lateral view of the subjects. The video recordings from the Sony camera were used to confirm footstrike patterns and to certify that Chi runners were using appropriate Chi running form.…”

Hip osteoarthritis and the active patient: will I run again?

“…It was assumed that PSD correlated to joint reaction forces so long as joint angles remained constant at different stride rates, which they did for the hip, knee, and ankle. As stride rate increased at a 3.8 m/s run, PSD and peak joint forces decreased during impact loading [32]. The researchers note that decreases in float phase duration accompanied stride rate decreases, while stance phase duration remained nearly constant.…”

“…Clarke [32] used accelerometry to investigate the effect of altered running stride rate on loading response peak trunk/shank deceleration (PSD). It was assumed that PSD correlated to joint reaction forces so long as joint angles remained constant at different stride rates, which they did for the hip, knee, and ankle.…”

“…The researchers note that decreases in float phase duration accompanied stride rate decreases, while stance phase duration remained nearly constant. Clarke recommends that the runner should increase stride rate to decrease joint forces at impact loading [32].…”

Modeling the Foot-Strike Event in Running Fatigue via Mechanical Impedances

“…Non-invasive in vivo measurements of acceleration and impact transmission along the h u m a n b o d y w e r e m a d e b y e x t e r n a l l y a ttaching light-weight, high-sensitivity accelerometers at strategic points including bony prominences, such as the tibial tuberosity below the knee area, the greater trochanter near hip level and the sacrum area at the lower back [13,15,22,[26][27][28][29].…”