Kinematic stride cycle asymmetry is not associated with sprint performance and injury prevalence in athletic sprinters

Abstract

The aims of this study were to (a) quantify the magnitude of kinematic stride cycle asymmetry in high-level athletic sprinters, (b) explore the association between kinematic asymmetry and maximal sprint running performance, and (c) investigate possible associations between kinematic asymmetry and injury prevalence. Twenty-two competitive sprinters (age 23 ± 3 year, height 1.81 ± 0.06 m, body mass 75.5 ± 5.6 kg, personal best 100 m 10.86 ± 0.22 seconds) performed 2-3 flying sprints over 20 m. Kinematics were recorded in 3D using a motion tracking system with 21 cameras at a 250 Hz sampling rate, allowing assessment of six consecutive steps for each athlete. Information about injuries sustained 1 year prior to and after the experiment was continuously registered (type, location, severity/duration, and time of year occurrence). The results showed that ≥11 of the 22 participating athletes displayed large or very large asymmetry for at least 11 of 14 variables, and all athletes displayed large or very large asymmetry for at least three variables. No correlations between individual magnitudes of asymmetry and sprint performance were significant (trivial to moderate). No significant changes in asymmetry between best and worst trial were observed for any of the analyzed variables. In addition, injured and non-injured athletes did not differ in asymmetry, neither for the time period 1 year prior to nor after the test. In conclusion, kinematic asymmetries in the stride cycle were not associated with neither maximal sprint running performance nor the prevalence of injury among high-level athletic sprinters.

The Training and Development of Elite Sprint Performance: an Integration of Scientific and Best Practice Literature

“…In sprinters, the training phase immediately following the off-season and the transition phase between the preparation period and competitive season are particularly vulnerable periods for injury. Haugen et al [88] observed that two-thirds of all hamstring injuries in competitive sprinters occurred in the transition period between specific preparation and competition season. This period is ideally characterized by large reductions in training volume, increases in training intensity/sprint speed, and positive “bumps” in individual sprint performance development.…”

Jumping-based Asymmetries are Negatively Associated with Jump, Change of Direction, and Repeated Sprint Performance, but not Linear Speed, in Adolescent Handball Athletes

“…Jump tests have also been commonly used to detect betweenlimb differences with the countermovement jump (CMJ), broad jump (BJ), and drop jump (DJ) frequently used in addition to their unilateral variations (Bishop et al, 2018c;Hoffman et al, 2015;Lockie et al, 2014;Maloney et al, 2017;Meylan et al, 2009). Further to this, between-limb asymmetries have also been measured in sprinting (Exell et al, 2012;Haugen et al, 2018), change of direction speed (CODS) tasks (Dos'Santos et al, 2018, Madruga-Parera et al, 2019a and balance (Madruga-Parera et al, 2019b) Journal of Human Kinetics -volume 71/2020 http://www.johk.pl and highlighting the versatility of physical performance tests that can be used to detect interlimb asymmetries. Although useful, reporting their prevalence alone does little to further our understanding of whether their reduction is needed.…”

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“…High-speed running exposure should be managed carefully as an excess or rapid increase in training load may increase soft tissue injury risk [21]. In sprinters, the training phase (e. g. following the off-season) and transition phase between the preparation period and competitive season appear to be vulnerable periods for injury [136]. That said, high-speed running is paramount for sprint performance enhancement [137], as well as the morphological and architectural lower limb qualities [84], suggesting it should be incorporated into reconditioning training programs.…”