The biomechanical characteristics of high‐performance endurance running

Abstract

The biomechanical profile of high-level endurance runners may represent a useful model that could be used for developing training programmes designed to improve running style. This study therefore sought to compare the biomechanical characteristics of high-performance and recreational runners. Kinematic and kinetic measurements were taken during overground running from a cohort of 14 highperformance (8 male) and 14 recreational (8 male) runners, at four speeds ranging from 3.3 to 5.6 ms-1. Two-way ANOVA analysis was then used to explore group and speed effects and principal component analysis to explore the interdependence of the tested variables. The data showed the high-performance runners to have a gait style characterised by an increased vertical velocity of the centre of mass and a flight time that was 11% longer than the recreational group. The high-performance group were also observed to adopt a forefoot strike pattern, to contact the ground with their foot closer to their body and to have a larger ankle moment. Importantly, although observed group differences were mostly independent of speed, the tested variables showed a high degree of interdependence suggesting an underlying unitary phenomenon. This is the first study to compare high-performance and recreational runners across a full range of kinematic and kinetic variables. The results suggest that high-performance runners maintain stride length with a prolonged aerial phase, rather than by landing with a more extended knee. These findings motivate future intervention studies that should investigate whether recreational runners could benefit from instruction to decrease shank inclination at foot contact.

Age and training volume influence joint kinetics during running

“…Further, these results suggest that a distal-to-proximal shift in positive joint kinetics exists in low compared to high volume runners as a result of lesser power generation at the ankle. Although angular power and work were not reported, Preece et al 27 observed larger peak plantarflexor torque in young runners with higher weekly volume (~87 km) compared to those with lower weekly volume (~43 km) suggesting some influence of volume in young runners. In the current study, despite not reaching significance (P = .081), a closer look at the age by volume group interaction effect for peak plantarflexor torque demonstrates a larger peak torque in high compared to low volume young runners only (d = 0.73, Table 2).…”

Tibial Acceleration-Based Prediction of Maximal Vertical Loading Rate During Overground Running: A Machine Learning Approach

“…Ground reaction forces are relevant parameters for running analysis (Pohl et al, 2009;Crowell and Davis, 2011;Van Der Worp et al, 2016;Clark et al, 2017). They partially describe the center of mass' state of motion during running and are often used by sport scientists and clinicians to analyze the mechanical risk-factors of running related injuries (Bredeweg et al, 2013;Napier et al, 2018) and/or athletic performance (Preece et al, 2019).…”

Most marathon runners at the 2017 IAAF World Championships were rearfoot strikers, and most did not change footstrike pattern

“…Recreational and high-caliber club runners have been analyzed during good-standard races of varying distance; footstrike patterns have also been reported for laboratory testing using treadmills (Hanley and Tucker, 2018;Kubo et al, 2015) and an indoor runway (Preece et al, 2018). However, no previous research has analyzed the footstrike patterns of world-class marathon runners, or the changes that occur, as they complete a World Championship race.…”