Browsing by Subject "Running"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4

Adaptability of stride-to-stride control of stepping movements in human walking and running
(2014-05) Bohnsack, Nicole Kristen; Dingwell, Jonathan B.
Walking and running are essential tasks people take for granted every day. However, these are highly complex tasks that require significant neural control. This is complicated by the inherent redundancy of the nervous system and by physiological noise. Humans may adopt different control strategies to achieve different goals (environmental or task specific). More specifically, walking/running on a treadmill only requires that one not walk off the treadmill. Of the many possible strategies that can achieve this goal, humans attempt to maintain a constant speed from each stride to the next (Dingwell, John et al. 2010). However, how humans alter the stride-to-stride regulation of their gait when the task goals change (e.g., by maintaining stride length and/or time, during running, or during a predicted walk to run transition speed) has not yet been demonstrated. In the first two of three experiments conducted, healthy adults either walked or ran on a motorized treadmill at a comfortable speed under the following conditions: constant speed, constant speed with the stride length goal (targets on the treadmill), constant speed with the stride time goal (metronome), or constant speed with both stride length and stride time goals. In a third experiment, subjects walked and/or ran at a comfortable speed and also at their predicted theoretical walk to run transition speed. Goal functions derived from the task specifications yielded new variables that defined fluctuations either directly relevant to, or irrelevant to, achieving each goal. The magnitude of the variability, as well as the stride-to-stride temporal fluctuations in these variables, were calculated. During walking, subjects exploited different redundancy relationships in different ways to prioritize certain task goals (maintain stride speed) over others (maintain stride length or stride time) in each different context. In general, subjects made rapid corrections of those stride-to-stride deviations that were most directly relevant to the different task goals adopted in each walking condition. Thus, the central nervous system readily adapts to achieve multiple goals simultaneously. During running, subjects exhibited similar adaptations to walking, but over-corrected to prioritize maintaining stride speed even more strongly. This suggests that stepping control strategies adapt to the level of perceived risk. This purposeful adaptability of these stride-to-stride control strategies could be exploited to developing more effective rehabilitation interventions for patients with locomotor impairments. During the predicted walk-to-run speeds, subjects were able to largely exploit the redundancy within task goal, and effectively operated at “uncomfortable” speeds. These results suggest that the stride speed control is robust even with additional novel tasks and uncomfortable, abnormal speeds of locomotion.
Body dynamics and muscle activity during Chi running
(2010-12) Bohnsack, Nicole Kristen; Abraham, Lawwrence D.; Dingwell, Johnathan
This study compared the center of mass behavior and muscle activation patterns during Chi running and normal running. The study included 10 participants, both male and female, who were recreational runners training at least 5 days a week. Thirty-second trials were collected continuously on a treadmill in the University of Texas Non-linear Biodynamics Laboratory. The variables being examined were the COM vertical position and COM acceleration in the A/P direction, the angle of lean, the gravitational moment about the ankle, and EMG amplitude and duration from four leg muscles. Although no significant differences were found between the two conditions for any of the dependent measures, there was a visible change in running form. A larger number of participants or a different set of dependent measures may be required to observe statistically significant differences.
How social media can overcome the barriers to sponsorship for elite runners
(2012-05) Hawkins, Cara Elizabeth; Wilcox, Gary B.; Love, Brad
This paper will explore how track and field athletes are currently using social media, what types of social media attract or repel sponsorship and what barriers and opportunities exist for social media use in the sport of track and field. A variety of different sources will be used including academic papers, interviews with community managers from Saucony and Brooks and social media publications.
A review of common overuse injuries in runners and a proposed training program for prevention
(2014-05) Sprenkel, Jessica Lynn; Farrar, Roger P.
This report examines three common overuse injuries in recreational runners: patellofemoral pain syndrome, iliotibial band syndrome and plantar fasciitis. The anatomy of the knee, hip and foot is presented and discussed as it relates to each condition before exploring the mechanism of injury. A review of the literature for each injury includes various risk factors such as muscle weakness, muscle tightness and specific biomechanical factors potentially leading to injury. Recommendations for standard physical therapy exercises are included at the end of each chapter should injury occur. Finally, a preventative routine, developed with guidance from the practitioners at Sports Performance International is presented at the end of the report, taking into consideration the risk factors for overuse injury outlined previously, intended to reduce the likelihood of time being taken off due to pain or swelling.