Effect of speed and gradient on plantar force when running on an AlterG® treadmill

Athol Thomson1,2, Rodney Whiteley1, Clint Hansen3, Julius Welzel3, Sebastien Racinais1, Mathew G. Wilson4
1Aspetar Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha, Qatar
2Discipline of Podiatry, School of Allied Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
3Kiel University Department of Neurology, UKSH campus, Kiel, Germany
4Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, University College London, London, UK

Tóm tắt

Anti-gravity treadmills are used to decrease musculoskeletal loading during treadmill running often in return to play rehabilitation programs. The effect different gradients (uphill/downhill running) have on kinetics and spatiotemporal parameters when using an AlterG® treadmill is unclear with previous research focused on level running only. Ten well-trained healthy male running athletes ran on the AlterG® treadmill at varying combinations of bodyweight support (60, 80, and 100% BW), speed (12 km/hr., 15 km/hr., 18 km/hr., 21 km/hr., and 24 km/hr), and gradients (− 15% decline, − 10, − 5, 0, + 5, + 10 + 15% incline), representing a total of 78 conditions performed in random order. Maximum plantar force and contact time were recorded using a wireless in-shoe force sensor insole system. Regression analysis showed a linear relationship for maximum plantar force with bodyweight support and running speeds for level running (p < 0.0001, adj. R2 = 0.604). The linear relationship, however, does not hold for negative gradients at speeds 12 & 15 km/h, with a relative ‘dip’ in maximum plantar force across all assisted bodyweight settings. Maximum plantar force peaks are larger with faster running and smaller with more AlterG® assisted bodyweight support (athlete unweighing). Gradient made little difference except for a downhill grade of − 5% decreasing force peaks as compared to level or uphill running.

Tài liệu tham khảo

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