Runners are sometimes advised to alter their strike pattern as a means of increasing performance or in response to injury. The purpose of this study was to compare lower extremity mechanics of rearfoot strikers (RFS), who were instructed to run with a forefoot strike pattern (CFFS) to those of a preferred forefoot striker (FFS). Three-dimensional mechanics of 9 FFS and 9 CFFS were evaluated. Peak values for most kinematic and kinetic variables and all patterns of movement were not found to be statistically different between CFFS and FFS. Only peak vertical ground reaction force and peak ankle plantarflexion moment were found to be significantly lower (p ≤ .05) in the CFFS group. This suggests that RFS are able to assume a FFS pattern with very little practice that is very similar to that of a preferred FFS. The impact of changing one's strike pattern on injury risk and running performance needs further study.
Search Results
Lower Extremity Mechanics in Runners with a Converted Forefoot Strike Pattern
Dorsey S. Williams III, Irene S. McClay, and Kurt T. Manal
Split-Belt Treadmill Walking Alters Lower Extremity Frontal Plane Mechanics
Jaimie A. Roper, Ryan T. Roemmich, Mark D. Tillman, Matthew J. Terza, and Chris J. Hass
stabilize the pelvis as the swing leg progresses forward. 3 , 4 Further, studies have demonstrated that certain lower extremity frontal plane mechanics (ie, impulse of the knee abduction moment and medio-lateral ground reaction forces) change with gait speed. 5 , 6 Interventions that manipulate gait speed
Frontal Plane Knee and Hip Kinematics During Sit-to-Stand and Proximal Lower Extremity Strength in Persons With Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Study
Lisa T. Hoglund, Howard J. Hillstrom, Ann E. Barr-Gillespie, Margery A. Lockard, Mary F. Barbe, and Jinsup Song
Increased joint stress and malalignment are etiologic factors in osteoarthritis. Static tibiofemoral frontal plane malalignment is associated with patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PFOA). Patellofemoral joint stress is increased by activities such as sit-to-stand (STS); this stress may be even greater if dynamic frontal plane tibiofemoral malalignment occurs. If hip muscle or quadriceps weakness is present in persons with PFOA, aberrant tibiofemoral frontal plane movement may occur, with increased patellofemoral stress. No studies have investigated frontal plane tibiofemoral and hip kinematics during STS in persons with PFOA or the relationship of hip muscle and quadriceps strength to these motions. Eight PFOA and seven control subjects performed STS from a stool during three-dimensional motion capture. Hip muscle and quadriceps strength were measured as peak isometric force. The PFOA group demonstrated increased peak tibial abduction angles during STS, and decreased hip abductor, hip extensor, and quadriceps peak force versus controls. A moderate inverse relationship between peak tibial abduction angle and peak hip abductor force was present. No difference between groups was found for peak hip adduction angle or peak hip external rotator force. Dynamic tibiofemoral malalignment and proximal lower extremity weakness may cause increased patellofemoral stress and may contribute to PFOA incidence or progression.
Lower-Extremity Energetic Distribution During Rate-Controlled Ballet Jumps (Sautés) in Healthy Dancers
Amanda C. Yamaguchi, Lindsey H. Trejo, Hai-Jung Steffi Shih, David Ortiz-Weissberg, and Kornelia Kulig
length–tension position. The type of dance jump also impacts the lower-extremity biomechanics. A rate-driven bipedal hop in combination with the upright trunk requires greater contribution from the ankle and knee joints. Thus, dance jumps, especially bipedal hops, are driven by the ankle and knee joints
Effects of Varying Overground Walking Speeds on Lower-Extremity Muscle Synergies in Healthy Individuals
Manuel J. Escalona, Daniel Bourbonnais, Michel Goyette, Damien Le Flem, Cyril Duclos, and Dany H. Gagnon
Human locomotion is a complex task that requires coordinated and precise neural control of muscle activation. This coordination is most likely governed by a sequence of motor modules, also referred to as “muscle synergies” (MSs), that co-activate multiple lower-extremity (L/E) muscles in a
Virtual Reality Training With Three-Dimensional Video Games Improves Postural Balance and Lower Extremity Strength in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Yongwoo Lee, Wonjae Choi, Kyeongjin Lee, Changho Song, and Seungwon Lee
virtual reality training was accomplished by incorporating the following six games into circuit training: jogging for gait, swordplay for agility and balance, ski jump for balance, hula-hoop for balance and lower extremity strength, tennis for balance and agility, and step dance for gait and lower
Within-Session Reliability and Minimum Detectable Differences for Discrete Lower-Extremity Angles and Moments During Walking
Jillian L. Hawkins and Clare E. Milner
been determined for several lower-extremity biomechanical variables, but only for between-session comparisons. 1 , 2 Within- and between-session reliability are influenced by differences in participants’ performance between trials; in addition, between-session reliability is influenced by marker
Cancer-Specific Mortality Relative to Engagement in Muscle-Strengthening Activities and Lower Extremity Strength
Scott J. Dankel, Jeremy P. Loenneke, and Paul D. Loprinzi
Previous research has demonstrated that having adequate lower extremity and upper body muscle strength (generally defined as averting the lower tertile or quartile) reduces the risk of all-cause mortality 1 – 3 ; however, less overt is the importance of skeletal muscle strength on cancer
Abdominal Circumference Versus Body Mass Index as Predictors of Lower Extremity Overuse Injury Risk
Nathaniel S. Nye, Drew S. Kafer, Cara Olsen, David H. Carnahan, and Paul F. Crawford
Lower extremity overuse injuries (LEOIs) are common in outpatient clinics 1 , 2 and are observed in both younger and older patients and in both the elite athlete 3 as well as the sedentary 4 individual. These injuries are particularly troublesome for the military, as they impair the ability to
Differences in Lower-Extremity Joint Coordination During Two Landing Phases of a Drop Jump Task
JiaWei Wang and Ye Liu
The drop jump (DJ) is commonly utilized as a screening exercise for lower-extremity injury risk factors ( Moir et al., 2022 ; Whyte et al., 2018 ). It involves descending from a raised platform, followed by the first landing, subsequent maximal vertical jump, and the second landing. Each landing
