Journal
ORTHOPAEDIC JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE
Volume 9, Issue 5, Pages -Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/23259671211011213
Keywords
running-related overuse injury; gait mechanics; leg stiffness; joint stiffness
Categories
Funding
- School of Public Health-Bloomington Faculty Research Support Program
- AOSSM
Ask authors/readers for more resources
A year-long study on recreational runners revealed that leg and joint stiffness may not be crucial factors in causing running-related injuries. Moderate changes in leg and joint stiffness are unlikely to significantly alter the risk of injury.
Background: The spring-like behavior of the leg and the joints of the lower body during running are thought to influence a wide range of physiologic and mechanical phenomena, including susceptibility to overuse injury. If leg and joint stiffness are associated with running-related injuries, altering joint or leg stiffness may be a useful avenue for injury rehabilitation and injury prevention programs. Purpose: To test the associations between running-related injury and leg stiffness, knee stiffness, and ankle stiffness in a prospective study of recreational runners. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A total of 49 healthy recreational runners took part in a year-long study. Participants completed a 3-dimensional kinematic and kinetic biomechanical assessment at baseline and reported training volume and injury status in a weekly survey during the follow-up period. Relationships between stiffness and injury were assessed at the level of individual legs (n = 98) using spline terms in Cox proportional hazards models. Results: During follow-up, 23 participants (29 legs) sustained injury. The median time to injury was 27 weeks (53.27 hours of training). Relative injury rate as a function of knee stiffness displayed a weak and nonsignificant U-shaped curve (P = .187-.661); ankle and leg stiffness displayed no discernable associations with relative injury rate (leg stiffness, P = .215-.605; ankle stiffness, P = .419-.712). Conclusion: Leg and joint stiffness may not be important factors in the development of running-related injuries. Moderate changes in leg and joint stiffness are unlikely to substantially alter injury risk.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available