Sound-Intensity Feedback During Running Reduces Loading Rates and Impact Peak

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Sports Medicine
• Running Injury Prevention

Background:

• Gait retraining is a key strategy for reducing stress fracture risk in runners.
• Clinically applicable interventions for impact loading reduction are needed.
• Auditory feedback offers a novel approach to gait modification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the immediate effects of sound-intensity feedback on running impact forces.
• To assess the impact of real-time auditory cues on vertical impact peak and loading rates.
• To determine if sound-based gait retraining reduces impact loading during running.

Main Methods:

• A controlled laboratory study with a within-session design was conducted.
• Fourteen healthy runners received 15 minutes of real-time sound-intensity feedback via an iPad application.
• Ground reaction force data were collected during overground running before and after the intervention.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant reductions were observed in vertical impact peak (P≤.001).
• Peak vertical instantaneous loading rate (P = .001) and vertical average loading rate (P≤.001) also significantly decreased.
• Reductions in impact forces were comparable to other gait retraining techniques.

Conclusions:

• Sound-intensity feedback is an effective method for immediate reduction of running impact forces.
• This auditory feedback approach successfully reduced loading rates during treadmill running.
• The observed within-session improvements in impact reduction transferred to overground running performance.