Poster Session #2: South UC Ballroom
Gait Mechanics Used to Increase Sprint Speed Following a 3D Intervention
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Matt Bundle
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Health and Human Performance
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Studies have shown the stance and swing phases of human stride mechanics limit humans from running at high speeds. To increase running speeds, the time to complete the swing phase of running, referred to as aerial time, needs to decrease while applying greater ground reaction forces (GRFs) during shorter periods of foot-ground contact. We developed a three-day intervention to determine whether it was possible to alter the foot-ground collision of sprint-based athletes. Five collegiate sprinters and one recreational runner completed the study (male = 2; female = 4). Their average speed increased by an average of 6.7 ± 0.13%, which equates to 0.57 m/s. The three-day intervention period aimed to improve gait mechanics by increasing ground reaction forces (GRFs) and horizontal impulse and by decreasing aerial frequency, average braking time between steps, and time between footfalls. During the pre- and post-testing periods, we measured GRFs and simultaneous 3D joint mechanics using force plates and high-speed cameras, respectively. Unique to previous studies, we performed a 3D analysis of each subject’s gait mechanics to test whether mechanical adjustments made in the intervention increased sprinting speed. Force and kinematic analysis revealed the average time braking between steps decreased by 0.0026 ± 0.0018 seconds (s), the average horizontal impulse (i.e., force x time) increased by 0.03 ± 0.0002 Newton seconds (Ns), and the average time between footfalls decreased by 0.003 ± 0.0021 s. The results indicate the intervention was successful in decreasing aerial frequency, increasing horizontal GRFs, and decreasing the foot-ground contact times. Therefore, our intervention effectively modified gait mechanics to improve sprint performance in all participants. We do not understand the musculoskeletal changes that allowed subjects to increase foot ground collision.
Category
Physical Sciences
Gait Mechanics Used to Increase Sprint Speed Following a 3D Intervention
South UC Ballroom
Studies have shown the stance and swing phases of human stride mechanics limit humans from running at high speeds. To increase running speeds, the time to complete the swing phase of running, referred to as aerial time, needs to decrease while applying greater ground reaction forces (GRFs) during shorter periods of foot-ground contact. We developed a three-day intervention to determine whether it was possible to alter the foot-ground collision of sprint-based athletes. Five collegiate sprinters and one recreational runner completed the study (male = 2; female = 4). Their average speed increased by an average of 6.7 ± 0.13%, which equates to 0.57 m/s. The three-day intervention period aimed to improve gait mechanics by increasing ground reaction forces (GRFs) and horizontal impulse and by decreasing aerial frequency, average braking time between steps, and time between footfalls. During the pre- and post-testing periods, we measured GRFs and simultaneous 3D joint mechanics using force plates and high-speed cameras, respectively. Unique to previous studies, we performed a 3D analysis of each subject’s gait mechanics to test whether mechanical adjustments made in the intervention increased sprinting speed. Force and kinematic analysis revealed the average time braking between steps decreased by 0.0026 ± 0.0018 seconds (s), the average horizontal impulse (i.e., force x time) increased by 0.03 ± 0.0002 Newton seconds (Ns), and the average time between footfalls decreased by 0.003 ± 0.0021 s. The results indicate the intervention was successful in decreasing aerial frequency, increasing horizontal GRFs, and decreasing the foot-ground contact times. Therefore, our intervention effectively modified gait mechanics to improve sprint performance in all participants. We do not understand the musculoskeletal changes that allowed subjects to increase foot ground collision.