ABSTRACT
[Purpose] To identify running gait biomechanics associated with sacroiliac (SI) joint pain in female runners compared to healthy controls. [Participants and Methods] In this case-control study, treadmill running gait biomechanics of female runners diagnosed SI joint pain, (by ultrasound-guided diagnostic SI joint injection and/or ≥2 positive SI physical exam maneuvers) were compared with age, height, mass, and BMI matched healthy female runners. Sagittal and coronal plane treadmill running video angles were measured and compared. [Results] Eighteen female runners with SI pain, and 63 matched controls, were analyzed. There was no difference in age, height, mass, or BMI between groups. At the point of initial contact, runners with SI joint pain demonstrated less knee flexion, greater tibial overstride, and greater ankle dorsiflexion, compared to controls. In midstance, runners with SI pain had greater contralateral pelvic drop compared to controls. For unilateral SI joint pain cases (N=15), greater contralateral pelvic drop was observed when loading their affected side compared to the unaffected side. [Conclusion] Female runners with SI joint pain demonstrated greater contralateral pelvic drop during midstance phase; along with less knee flexion, greater "tibial overstride", and greater ankle dorsiflexion at initial contact compared to controls.
ABSTRACT
The current study aims to compare the mechanical propensities between healthy runners and runners with hamstring injuries. Retrospective case-control video analysis was used. A total of 35 (12 male and 23 female) videos of runners with hamstring injuries were compared with videos of sex-, age-, mass-, and height-matched healthy control runners. The main outcome variables were trunk posture angles, overstride angles, and foot strike patterns. An independent t-test and chi-squared tests were employed to analyze the main outcome variables between the runners with hamstring injuries and the healthy control runners. The statistical significance of less than 0.05 (p < 0.05) was used. The runners with hamstring injuries had a 1.6° less forward-trunk posture angles compared with the healthy control runners (p = 0.043). Also, the runners with hamstring injuries demonstrated a 4.9° greater overstride angles compared with the healthy control runners (p = 0.001). Finally, the runners with hamstring injuries had a tendency of rearfoot strike, while the healthy control runners showed a forefoot strike pattern (p = 0.004). In conclusion, the runners with hamstring injuries demonstrated different running mechanical propensities compared with the healthy runners.
ABSTRACT
[Purpose] Primary purpose was to compare running mechanics between healthy runners and runners with chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) including overstride angles, ankle dorsiflexion (DF) angles, and foot strike patterns. The secondary purpose was to analyze the association between the overstride angles and ankle DF angles. [Participants and Methods] Running images of 7 female runners with bilateral CECS patients were captured at a time of the medical examination. Their running images were compared with gender, age, and body mass index matched 31 healthy control runners. [Results] The bilateral CECS female runners have a propensity of running with significantly greater overstride and ankle DF angles than the healthy female runners. There were no foot strike differences between the two cohorts. There were a non-significant, poor relationship between overstride and ankle DF angles in the healthy female runners while a significant, strong association was found between overstride and ankle DF angles in the bilateral CECS female runners. [Conclusion] Compared to healthy female runners, bilateral CECS female runners demonstrated different running mechanics including greater overstride and ankle DF angles. The two variables were strongly associated with each other in bilateral CECS female runners, but not in healthy female runners. This may potentially contribute to the mechanism of CECS development.
