Soft Tissue Vibrations in Running: A Narrative Review

Abstract

During running, the human body is subjected to impacts generating repetitive soft tissue vibrations (STV). They have been frequently discussed to be harmful for the musculoskeletal system and may alter running gait. The aims of this narrative review were to: (1) provide a comprehensive overview of the literature on STV during running, especially why and how STV occurs; (2) present the various approaches and output parameters used for quantifying STV with their strengths and limitations; (3) summarise the factors that affect STV. A wide set of parameters are employed in the literature to characterise STV. Amplitude of STV used to quantify the mechanical stress should be completed by time–frequency approaches to better characterise neuromuscular adaptations. Regarding sports gear, compression apparels seem to be effective in reducing STV. In contrast, the effects of footwear are heterogeneous and responses to footwear interventions are highly individual. The creation of functional groups has recently been suggested as a promising way to better adapt the characteristics of the shoes to the runners’ anthropometrics. Finally, fatigue was found to increase vibration amplitude but should be investigated for prolonged running exercises and completed by an evaluation of neuromuscular fatigue. Future research needs to examine the individual responses, particularly in fatigued conditions, in order to better characterise neuromuscular adaptations to STV.

Relation between soft tissue energy dissipation and leg stiffness in running at different step frequencies

“…The comparison of both methods revealed that they both methods agree strongly, suggesting that they do reflect the primary contributors to movement. By comparing one versus the other, we can estimate the deviation from rigid-body segments, occurring mainly following an impact/collision with the ground [ 24 , 45 ], and that has been related to the estimated soft tissues deformation [ 14 , 23 ]. Soft tissue motion occurs during movement, and the estimation of soft tissue energy dissipation used here does not fully capture the complexity of soft tissue behaviour.…”

Soft‐Tissue Vibrations and Fatigue During Prolonged Running: Does an Individualized Midsole Hardness Play a Role?

“…It has recently been emphasized that runners demonstrated subject-specific responses to footwear interventions [4,9,10,28]. STV were mainly reduced with soft and medium midsole whereas MAX shoe distribution was quite equal among the three midsoles (Appendix S2).…”

“…Soft tissues (including muscles, tendons, adipose tissue, ligaments, and skin) exhibit a composite structural organization, resulting in a viscoelastic behavior oscillating in all directions when exposed to a shock [3]. Soft‐tissue vibrations (STV) are oscillatory signals described by their frequency, amplitude, and damping [4]. In endurance running, frequencies of the input signal (GRF) are between 10 and 20 Hz [5].…”

Whole leg compression garments influence lower limb kinematics and associated muscle synergies during running

“…Previous studies have demonstrated that the pressure from CGs can enhance athletic performance. Several possible mechanisms have been suggested, such as reducing soft tissue vibration and muscle activation for joint stability ( Valle et al, 2013 ; Play et al, 2022 ), altering proprioceptive feedback and neuromuscular control ( Perlau et al, 1995 ; Bernhardt and Anderson, 2005 ) and coordination ( Birmingham et al, 1998 ), and facilitating blood and lymph circulation and metabolite clearance ( O’Riordan et al, 2023) ; Ibegbuna et al, 2003 ). These mechanisms can be interrelated and hence require further investigation.…”