https://www.ijmhr.org/ijpr.html editor_physiotherapy@hotmail.com
ISSN:       2321-1822 (E) 2321-8975 (P)

IJPR.2020.110

DOWNLOAD PDF
Table of Contents

Type of Article:  Original Research

Volume 8; Issue 2 (April 2020)

Page No.: 3407-3414

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.16965/ijpr.2020.110

INDIRECT ESTIMATION OF THE STEP LENGTH OF WALKING AND RUNNING PERFORMANCES ON THE TREADMILL

R. Vinodh Rajkumar.

Physiotherapist & Anthropologist. Director – Prabhanjeet Fitness Research Institute OPC Private Limited. Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

Corresponding Author: R. Vinodh Rajkumar, Physiotherapist & Anthropologist, Director – Prabhanjeet Fitness Research Institute OPC Private Limited, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. E-Mail: dreamofkalam@rediffmail.com

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Cadence and step length are important biomechanical variables of walking and running but they are not typically monitored by the treadmills. This study explains a novel non-invasive method to estimate the step length of walking and running to maximize the professional skills and scientific capabilities of Physiotherapists and Exercise professionals.

Methodology: Seventeen individuals (10 men and 7 women) who have been undergoing supervised fitness training programs were selected for the biomechanical analysis of the relationship between cadence and step length of walking and running on the treadmill in the speeds ranging from 5 Km/h to 15 Km/h for men and 5 Km/h to 12 Km/h for women.

Results: Exercisers displayed wide range of step length strategies to manage the walking and running speeds opted for the experiment. Additionally, when the same exercisers were allowed to exhibit their maximum running speed in the outdoor environment, a statistically significant difference was found because all of them faced psychological constraints to explore or sustain their fastest running ability on the treadmill.

Conclusion: Assessment of cadence and step lengths of the patients and exercisers looks indispensable. Visual counting method to calculate the cadence can be easily acquired through practice, usually accompanied by the development of the skill to compute the step lengths using mathematical formulae. The same method can be used to ascertain if the individuals are adapting symmetrical or asymmetrical step lengths by just separately counting the number of steps produced by each lower extremity for a specific time length (30 seconds or 60 seconds). Experts should continue exploring such feasible, non-invasive and inexpensive diagnostic procedures.

Key words: Treadmill, Cadence, Step length, Gait, Running, Sprinting, Stride frequency

REFERENCES

  1. Vinodh Rajkumar. Prevalence of Outward Deviation of Feet in Human Gait: A Non-Participant Observation. Int J Physiother Res 2020;8(1):3378-3387.
  2. Amy G. Schubert, Jenny Kempf, Bryan C. Heiderscheit. Influence of Stride Frequency and Length on Running Mechanics. Sports Health. 2014; 6(3): 210–217.
  3. Heiderscheit, Bryan C.; Chumanov, Elizabeth S; Michalski, Max P; Wille, Christa M; Ryan, Michael B. Effects of Step Rate Manipulation on Joint Mechanics during Running. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2011: 43 (2):296-302.
  4. Holden, M.K., Gill, K.M., & Magliozzi, M.R. Clinical gait assessment in the neurologically impaired: Reliability and meaningfulness. Physical Therapy, 1984; 64:35-40.
  5. Iain Hunter, Kelly Leee, Jared Ward, James Tracy. Self-optimization of stride length among experienced and inexperienced runners. Int J Exerc Sci. 2017; 10(3): 446–453.
  6. Salo AI, Bezodis IN, Batterham AM, Kerwin DG. Elite sprinting: are athletes individually step-frequency or step-length reliant? Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(6):1055-62.
  7. Rauno Laumets, Karel Viigipuu, Kerli Mooses, Jarek Mäestu, Priit Purge, Ando Pehme, Priit Kaasik, Martin Mooses.. Lower Leg Length is Associated with Running Economy in High Level Caucasian Distance Runners. J Hum Kinet. 2017; 56: 229–239.
  8. Jocelyn F. Hafer, Allison M. Brown, Polly deMille, Howard J. Hillstrom, Carol Ewing Garber. The effect of a cadence retraining protocol on running biomechanics and efficiency: a pilot study,Journal of Sports Sciences. 2015; 33 (7),724-731.
  9. Maćkała Krzysztof, Antti Mero. A Kinematics Analysis Of Three Best 100 M Performances Ever. J Hum Kinet. 2013; 36: 149–160.
  10. M Mooses, B Tippi, K Mooses, J Durussel, J Mäestu. Better economy in field running than on the treadmill: Evidence from high-level distance runners. Biol Sport. 2015; 32(2): 155–159.

Cite this article: R. Vinodh Rajkumar. INDIRECT ESTIMATION OF THE STEP LENGTH OF WALKING AND RUNNING PERFORMANCES ON THE TREADMILL. Int J Physiother Res 2020;8(2):3407-3414. DOI: 10.16965/ijpr.2020.110
Post Views: 0