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Plantar loading and cadence alterations with fatigue
1Department of Physical Therapy, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 54601, USA.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|December 29, 1999
Summary
Running with fatigue alters foot loading patterns. Runners decrease heel loading and increase medial forefoot loading, likely by increasing cadence.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Sports Medicine
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Fatigue is a common issue in running, potentially leading to altered biomechanics.
- Understanding how fatigue affects foot loading is crucial for injury prevention and performance optimization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate changes in foot loading characteristics during running associated with fatigue.
Main Methods:
- Nineteen healthy subjects ran on a treadmill under normal and fatigued conditions.
- Plantar loading was assessed using the Pedar in-shoe measurement system.
- Key variables analyzed included peak force, force-time integral, peak pressure, and pressure-time integral.
Main Results:
- Fatigue led to decreased step time and reduced loading under the heel (peak pressure, peak force, force-time integral, pressure-time integral).
- A trend towards increased medial forefoot loading was observed under fatigued conditions.
Conclusions:
- Subjects adapt their running technique when fatigued, increasing cadence.
- Foot loading shifts from the heel to the medial forefoot in response to fatigue.