A little bit faster: Lower extremity joint kinematics and kinetics as recreational runners achieve faster speeds

Abstract

There appears a linear relationship between small increases in running speed and cardiovascular health benefits. Encouraging or coaching recreational runners to increase their running speed to derive these health benefits might be more effective if their joint level kinematic and kinetic strategy was understood. The aim of this investigation was to compare the peak sagittal plane motions, moments, and powers of the hip, knee and ankle at 85%, 100%, 115% and 130% of self-selected running speed. Overground running data were collected in 12 recreational runners (6 women, 6 men) with a full body marker set using a 12-camera Vicon MX system with an AMTI force plate. Kinematics and kinetics were analyzed with Vicon Nexus software. Participants chose to run at 2.6 ± 0.5 m/s (85%); 3.0 ± 0.5 m/s (100%); 3.3 ± 0.5 m/s (115%); and 3.7 ± 0.5 m/s (130%); these four speeds approximately correspond to 6:24-, 5:33-, 5:03-, and 4:30-min kilometer running paces. Running speed had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on peak kinematic and kinetic variables of the hips, knees and ankles, with peak sagittal hip moments invariant (P > 0.54) and the peak sagittal ankle power generation (P < 0.0001) the most highly responsive variable. The timing of the peak sagittal extensor moments and powers at the hip, knee and ankle were distributed across stance in a sequential manner. This study shows that running speed affects lower limb joint kinematics and kinetics and suggests that specific intersegmental kinetic strategies might exist across the narrow range of running speeds.

Is there a correlation in frontal plane knee kinematics between running and performing a single leg squat in runners with patellofemoral pain syndrome and asymptomatic runners?

“…The effect of running speed on frontal plane knee kinematics is a further area of research to be explored. Orendurff et al (2018) found that as running speed increased so did peak knee flexion in the stance phase, as observed in the sagittal plane. If running speed were to also effect frontal plane knee kinematics, this may consequentially affect the strength of correlation to frontal plane kinematics during the SLS.…”

Biomechanics of graded running: Part II—Joint kinematics and kinetics

“…The influence of speed on joint kinetics during LR has been investigated across both recreational running speeds (2.5-3.5 m/s) 8,9 and very high speeds (~9 m/s). [10][11][12] In general, faster running speeds are associated with increased energy absorption/generation, 8 increased peak negative/positive power, [8][9][10][11][12] increased peak moments at all three joints, [9][10][11] and reduced cumulative energy absorption at the knee. 13 In general, graded running affects spatiotemporal parameters and these changes lead to changes in joint kinetics and to the relative contributions of each joint to overall negative/positive power.…”

Effects of Breast Motion on Lower-Body Kinematics during Running

“…Increased velocity is achieved initially through increasing step length, followed by increasing cadence [18]. In turn, the increase of step or stride length requires mechanically greater ROMs in the major participating joints of the lower extremities and trunk [19]. Thus, the increased spatiotemporal and angular joint parameters during sports bra use could be considered to reflect improvements or to be positive effects.…”