The effect of fatigue on the ankle and knee kinematics and kinetics in moderately and highly trained healthy non-rearfoot runners

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to compare selected ankle and knee kinematic and kinetic parameters before and a fter a prolonged exhaustive treadmill run between two groups of non-rearfoot footstrike pattern (NRFP) runners with different training volumes. Twenty-eight habitual NRFP runners were assigned to two groups based on their weekly training volume (Highly-trained (HT)/Moderately-trained (MT)). Participants underwent the VO2max test, and the exhaustive treadmill ran with biomechanical analysis at the beginning and the end. The two-way RMANOVA was used to assess differences between the groups and the phase of the run. A paired t-test was used for post-hoc analysis in case of significant interaction effect. Kinetic results showed significant group effect for ankle plantarflexion moment and hip external rotation moment (end-phase: both greater in MT group). Kinematic results showed significant group×phase interaction for ankle dorsiflexion angle (end-phase: greater in MT group) at initial contact (IC), peak knee flexion angle (end-phase: greater in MT group), and peak ankle eversion angle during the stance phase (end-phase: greater in HT group). Additionally, a group effect was found for knee flexion angle at IC (end-phase: greater in HT group). This study suggests that HT healthy NRFP runners may have less potential for increased biomechanical risk of AT overload during an exhaustive run.

KEYWORDS:

• Kinematic analysis
• kinetic analysis
• running
• minimalist shoes

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, JU, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the University of Ostrava under the grant SGS14-6187-1610. The laboratory facilities used for this research were bought with the support by the European Union via the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic under the grant “Healthy Aging in Industrial Environment” (program 4 HAIE CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/0000798).