Running speed‐induced changes in foot contact pattern influence impact loading rate

Abstract

Purpose. We aimed to determine the effect of speed-induced changes in foot contact patterns on the vertical instantaneous loading rate (VILR). We hypothesized that transition runners, i.e. runners that shift towards a mid-(MF) or forefoot contact pattern (FF) when running speed increases, show smaller increases in VILR than non-transition runners, i.e. runners that remain with a rearfoot contact pattern (RF). Methods. Fifty-two male and female runners ran overground at 3.2, 4.1, 5.1 and 6.2 m s −1 . Ground reaction forces, lower limb sagittal plane knee and ankle kinematics and plantar pressures were recorded. Multi-level linear regression models were used to assess differences between transition and non-transition runners. Results. Non-transition runners experienced larger speed-induced increases in VILR (48.6 ± 2.6 BW s −1 per m s −1 ) than transition runners (-1.4 ± 7.6 BW s −1 per m s −1 ). Transition runners showed higher VILRs and a more flat foot touch down at the same pre-transition speed than non-transition runners. Conclusion. When running speed increases, some runners transition towards more anterior foot contact patterns. This reduces or even eliminates the speed-induced increase in VILR. This result is especially the case for those RF runners who already have relatively high VILRs and flat foot positioning at slower running speeds.

Footstrike pattern at the 10 km and 39 km points of the Singapore marathon in recreational runners

“…Moreover, Larson et al (2011) observed an increase in the RFS prevalence from 88% to 93% between the 10 km and 32 km marks of the 2009 Manchester City Marathon (New Hampshire, USA) in a mostly North American cohort of runners. Although the medical implications of alterations in footstrike patterns in-race are yet to be fully elucidated; footstrike pattern change suggests neuromuscular fatigue (Jewell et al, 2017), slower running speeds (Breine et al, 2019;Cheung et al, 2017), and overall lower running performance (Bovalino et al, 2020;Latorre-Rom an et al, 2015). To our knowledge, no study has yet to report alterations in self-selected footstrike patterns in Asian recreational runners during a marathon, which would suggest racing-induced fatigue.…”

Principal Component Analysis of the Running Ground Reaction Forces With Different Speeds

“…Running GRF is related to impact shock, loading accumulation, and even stress syndrome in the lower extremity (Lieberman et al, 2010;Breine et al, 2019). While comparing the VALRs in the males and females across the four speeds, significance was observed only during 2.7 m/s without significance in other speeds.…”

“…On the contrary, the second peak (push-off) force (PC1) and LR (PC2) took over the transient (PC3) and first peak (PC4) in male runners. Evidence was that females and males might respond differently as running speed incrementing (Breine et al, 2019;Clermont et al, 2019). In specifics, the females showed variations in the impact absorption and force output, whereas males changed the timing of force output.…”

“…Following the same protocol, 20 steps of GRF data were collected with five steps from each speed condition for each participant. A threshold of 20 N in the vertical GRF was defined as foot strike and toe off (Breine et al, 2019;van Drongelen et al, 2020;Mei et al, 2021), which could avoid noise between treadmill and force plate. The duration of foot strike to toe off was used to compute the contact time of each step.…”

Biomechanics of Shod and Barefoot Running: A Literature Review

“…Stance time in mid/forefoot strike is shorter. Faster some people run, more typical such strike patterns are, 51,52 suggesting subgroups, that is, some runners change, while others do not, their foot strike pattern when they run faster. Besides, barefoot running might provide more sensory information during foot strike.…”