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Updated: May 1, 2026

Comparative Analysis of Lower Limb Kinematics between the Initial and Terminal Phase of 5km Treadmill Running
Published on: July 17, 2020
Do novice runners have weak hips and bad running form?
Anne Schmitz1, Kelsey Russo1, Lauren Edwards1
1Division of Physical Therapy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
Novice female runners show a trend toward increased hip internal rotation, linked to decreased trunk endurance, not hip strength. Injury prevention programs should focus on trunk stability and hip control.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Sports Medicine
- Running Injury Prevention
Background:
- Novice runners are predisposed to injuries.
- Understanding running mechanics and strength differences is crucial for injury prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- Identify differences in running mechanics and strength between novice and experienced female runners.
- Assess the relationship between hip/trunk strength and non-sagittal hip kinematics in runners.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 19 novice and 19 experienced female runners.
- Measured hip abductor/external rotator strength and trunk endurance (side-plank).
- Performed instrumented gait analysis at 3.3m/s; analyzed impact peak, loading rate, and hip kinematics.
Main Results:
- No significant differences found in impact peak, loading rate, hip kinematics, or strength between groups.
- Novice runners exhibited a trend toward increased peak hip internal rotation (3.8°).
- Decreased trunk side-plank endurance correlated with increased peak hip internal rotation (r=-0.357, p=0.03).
Conclusions:
- Injury prevention for novice runners should target trunk performance and hip neuromuscular control.
- Hip strength alone was not significantly related to running kinematics in this cohort.
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