Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 1, 2026
Evaluating Postural Control and Lower-extremity Muscle Activation in Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability
Published on: September 18, 2020
Running mechanics during 1600 meter track runs in young adults with and without chronic ankle instability
Mark Colapietro1, John J Fraser2, Jacob E Resch1
1Department of Kinesiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA.
Objective:
To evaluate biomechanical measures in runners with and without chronic ankle instability (CAI) using wearable sensors during two 1600 m track runs at a slow- and fast-pace.
Design:
Observational case-control.
Setting:
Field.
Participants:
18 recreational runners (CAI: n = 9; Healthy: n = 9) with rearfoot strike patterns.
Main Outcome Measures:
Pronation excursion, maximum pronation velocity, peak braking g, peak impact g, contact time, cycle time, and stride length of every step of two 1600 m runs were collected using RunScribe™ sensors and binned to each 400 m lap (Lap 1 to Lap 4).
Results:
Significant group-by-lap interactions were identified for contact time (p = .05) during the slow-intensity run. The CAI group had greater contact time (p = 0.05) that progressively increased with distance completed. CAI group also had higher impact g than the control group throughout the slow-intensity run (p = .03). During the fast-intensity run, significant group by lap interaction was observed for pronation excursion with the CAI group exhibiting less pronation excursion than the healthy group as the run progressed (p = .002).
Conclusions:
Regardless of speed, runners with CAI demonstrated altered gait mechanics compared to healthy controls. During the higher intensity run, decreased pronation excursion was observed in the CAI group and differences became more prominent as the distance increased.
