Effects of overground surfaces on running kinematics and kinetics in habitual non-rearfoot strikers

• Published in: Journal of sports sciences Vol. 39; no. 16; pp. 1822 - 1829
• Main Authors: Zhou, Wenxing, Lai, Zhangqi, Mo, Shiwei, Wang, Lin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Routledge 18.08.2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Artificial rubber; footstrike patterns; ground reaction force; joint moment; Kinematics; overground running; Rubber; Running; Running biomechanics; Synthetic products; joint moment; ground reaction force; overground running; Running biomechanics; footstrike patterns
• ISSN: 0264-0414; 1466-447X
• DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2021.1898194

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different overground surfaces on running biomechanics of non-rearfoot strikers. Thirty-one male habitual non-rearfoot strikers were required to run at 3.3 ± 0.2 m/s on a customized runway with artificial grass, concrete, or synthetic rubber surfaces in a random order. Vertical loading rates, three-dimensional ground reaction forces (GRFs), and lower-limb joint angles and moments were compared among surfaces. Regarding kinematics, significances were only detected in maximum knee flexion angle, with greater values when running on artificial grass compared to synthetic rubber or concrete. Regarding kinetics, changes were demonstrated in GRF peaks and lower-limb joint moments. GRF peaks were significantly greater when running on synthetic rubber or artificial grass compared to concrete; lower-limb joint moments were significantly lower when running on synthetic rubber compared to concrete; these changes were inconsistent when running on artificial grass compared to concrete. Significant differences were demonstrated in running kinetics when habitual non-rearfoot strikers ran on different overground surfaces. Running on artificial grass or synthetic rubber caused greater GRFs than running on concrete. However, only synthetic rubber could reduce joint loads.