Does Changing Step Width Alter Lower Extremity Biomechanics During Running?

112 Pages·2016·2.2 MB·English

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5-2012
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Richard Arthur Brindle III
[email protected]
Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes
Part of the Biomechanics Commons
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Brindle, Richard Arthur III, "Does Changing Step Width Alter Lower Extremity Biomechanics During
Running?. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 2012.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/1137
This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and
Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of TRACE:
Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected].
To the Graduate Council:
I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Richard Arthur Brindle III entitled "Does Changing
Step Width Alter Lower Extremity Biomechanics During Running?." I have examined the final
electronic copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, with a major in Kinesiology.
Clare E. Milner, Major Professor
We have read this thesis and recommend its acceptance:
Songning Zhang, Eugene C. Fitzhugh
Accepted for the Council:
Carolyn R. Hodges
Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School
(Original signatures are on file with official student records.)
Does Changing Step Width
Alter Lower Extremity Biomechanics
During Running?

A Thesis Presented for the
Master of Science
Degree
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Richard Arthur Brindle III
May 2012
Copyright © 2012 by Richard Arthur Brindle III
All rights reserved.

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DEDICATION

This work is dedicated to my family and my fiancé. Your love, above all things, inspires
me to pursue my passion.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you to Dr. Clare Milner for your incredible support and guidance as an advisor
and mentor. Also, thank you to my committee members, Dr. Songning Zhang and Dr.
Eugene Fitzhugh, for your contributions of knowledge and reflection to this project.

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ABSTRACT

A large percentage of runners incur a running related injury, with injury occurring most
frequently at the knee. Runners with the most common overuse knee injuries have
associated biomechanics that differ from healthy runners. Altering step width while
running may influence those associated biomechanics. The purpose of this study was
to determine the biomechanical response of lower extremity joints in healthy runners to
increasing and decreasing step width during running. A preferred step width condition
was collected first, followed in randomized order by a narrow step width condition and a
wide step width condition. Step width was decreased to 0% of participant’s leg length
during the narrow condition, and increased to 20% of participant’s leg length during the
wide condition. Step width, peak lower extremity angles, peak lower extremity
moments, and knee abduction impulse were recorded. Step width changed
successfully in all conditions, and was similar between genders with no interaction
effect. Peak hip adduction angle decreased as step width increased from narrowest to
widest, and was larger in women compared to men without an interaction effect. Peak
hip internal rotation angle remained similar among step width conditions and genders,
with no interaction effect. Peak knee internal rotation angle increased when step width
increased from narrowest to widest, and was larger in women than men with no
interaction effect. Peak knee abduction moment decreased when step width increased
from narrowest to widest, and was larger in men than women with no interaction effect.
Knee abduction angular impulse decreased when step width increased from narrowest
to widest, and was larger in men than women, with no interaction effect. Peak rearfoot
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eversion angle decreased when step width increased from narrowest to widest and was
larger in women, with no interaction effect. Peak rearfoot inversion moment had a
significant interaction effect, and decreased in male runners more than in female
runners as step width increased from narrowest to widest. Findings suggest frontal
plane biomechanics of healthy runners are influenced by step width.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

CHAPTER I.......................................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1
Step Width during Running ............................................................................................. 1
Step Width ...................................................................................................................... 1
Knee Injuries in Runners ................................................................................................. 2
Gender Differences in Running Kinematics ...................................................................... 4
Purpose .......................................................................................................................... 4
Hypotheses ..................................................................................................................... 4
PART 1 ................................................................................................................................ 6
CHAPTER II – III ................................................................................................................. 6
LITERATURE REVIEW, MATERIALS AND METHODS ................................................... 6
ABSTRACT.......................................................................................................................... 7
CHAPTER II......................................................................................................................... 8
LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................................... 8
Step Width during Running ............................................................................................. 9
Influence of Step Width on Gait........................................................................................ 9
Biomechanics of Altered Step Widths during Running ..................................................... 10
Methods to Alter Preferred Step Width during Running ................................................... 11
Summary ...................................................................................................................... 13
Knee Injuries in Runners ............................................................................................... 14
Frontal Plane Hip Biomechanics .................................................................................... 14
Transverse Plane Hip Biomechanics .............................................................................. 15
Sagittal Plane Hip Biomechanics ................................................................................... 16
Hip Biomechanics Summary .......................................................................................... 16
Frontal Plane Knee Biomechanics ................................................................................. 17
Transverse Plane Knee Biomechanics ........................................................................... 17
Sagittal Plane Knee Biomechanics ................................................................................. 18
Knee Biomechanics Summary ....................................................................................... 18
Frontal Plane Rearfoot Biomechanics ............................................................................ 19
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Rearfoot Biomechanics Summary .................................................................................. 20
Summary ...................................................................................................................... 20
Gender Differences in Running Kinematics .................................................................. 21
Gender Differences in Hip Kinematics ............................................................................ 22
Gender Differences in Knee Kinematics ......................................................................... 22
Gender Differences in Rearfoot Kinematics .................................................................... 23
Summary ...................................................................................................................... 23
Overall Summary ........................................................................................................... 24
CHAPTER III...................................................................................................................... 25
MATERIALS AND METHODS .......................................................................................... 25
Participants .................................................................................................................... 25
Power Analysis .............................................................................................................. 25
Procedures ..................................................................................................................... 26
Control Condition .......................................................................................................... 27
Experimental Conditions ................................................................................................ 28
Narrow Step Width Condition ......................................................................................... 28
Wide Step Width Condition ............................................................................................ 29
Data Processing ............................................................................................................ 29
Statistical Analysis ......................................................................................................... 31
REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 32
PART 2 .............................................................................................................................. 37
CHAPTER IV ..................................................................................................................... 37
MANUSCRIPT ................................................................................................................... 37
Does Changing Step Width Alter Lower Extremity Biomechanics During Running? .. 37
Abstract .......................................................................................................................... 38
CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................... 63
APPENDICES ................................................................................................................... 64
Appendix A ........................................................................................................................ 65
Flyer ............................................................................................................................... 65
Appendix B ........................................................................................................................ 66
Informed Consent .............................................................................................................. 66
Appendix C ........................................................................................................................ 68
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