Sensor-based gait training to reduce contact time for runners with exercise-related lower leg pain: a randomised controlled trial

Abstract

ObjectivesTo assess the effects of a 4-week randomised controlled trial comparing an outdoor gait-training programme to reduce contact time in conjunction with home exercises (contact time gait-training feedback with home exercises (FBHE)) to home exercises (HEs) alone for runners with exercise-related lower leg pain on sensor-derived biomechanics and patient-reported outcomes.DesignRandomised controlled trial.SettingLaboratory and field-based study.Participants20 runners with exercise-related lower leg pain were randomly allocated into FBHE (4 male (M), 6 female (F), 23±4 years, 22.0±4.3 kg/m2) or HE groups (3 M, 7 F, 25±5 years, 23.6±3.9 kg/m2).InterventionsBoth groups completed eight sessions of HEs over 4 weeks. The FBHE group received vibrotactile feedback through wearable sensors to reduce contact time during outdoor running.Primary and secondary outcome measuresPatient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and outdoor gait assessments were conducted for both groups at baseline and 4 weeks. PROMs were repeated at 6 weeks, and feedback retention was assessed at 6 weeks for the FBHE group. Repeated measures analyses of variance were used to assess the influence of group and timepoint on primary outcomes.ResultsThe FBHE group reported increased function and recovery on PROMs beyond the HE group at 6 weeks (p<0.001). There was a significant group by time interaction for Global Rating of Change (p=0.004) and contact time (p=0.002); the FBHE group reported greater subjective improvement and reduced contact time at 4 and 6 weeks compared with the HE group and compared with baseline. The FBHE group had increased cadence (mean difference: 7 steps/min, p=0.01) at 4 weeks during outdoor running compared with baseline.ConclusionFBHE was more effective than HE alone for runners with exercise-related lower leg pain, manifested with improved PROMs, reduced contact time and increased cadence.Trial registration numberNCT04270565.

Is the addition of running retraining to best standard care beneficial in runners with medial tibial stress syndrome? Protocol for a randomised controlled trial

“…The Exercise‐Induced Leg Pain Questionnaire (EILPQ‐Br) has been found to have excellent internal consistency (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]: 0.92–0.94) and test–retest reliability (ICC: 0.987–0.995) across patients with exercise‐related lower leg pain [ 16 ]. The EILPQ‐Br questionnaire comprises 10 items, scored on a five‐point Likert scale from 4 (no difficulty) to 0 (unable to do), there is also a ‘non‐applicable’ category.…”

E-Textiles for Sports and Fitness Sensing: Current State, Challenges, and Future Opportunities

“…The use of e-textile solutions with greater comfort and reduced conscious athlete awareness may somewhat remove the constraint on the number and position of sensors. Any developed tools for the estimation of tissue-specific internal biomechanical training loads may facilitate the prescription and monitoring of specific loads, as well as the ranking of exercises in terms of specific tissue loading [ 90 , 91 ] or the provision of haptic [ 92 , 93 ] or audio [ 94 , 95 ] biofeedback.…”

A Review of the Validity and Reliability of Accelerometer-Based Metrics From Upper Back–Mounted GNSS Player Tracking Systems for Athlete Training Load Monitoring

“…Any developed tools for the estimation of accurate external or internal biomechanical training loads may facilitate the prescription and monitoring of specific loads, as well as the ranking of exercises in terms of specific tissue loading (59,163), or the provision of haptic (57,76) or audio (29,187) biofeedback. Before evaluating new or existing metrics, it would be useful to quantify the desired level of validity or reliability (e.g., how accurate is accurate enough?).…”