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Updated: Dec 31, 2025

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Published on: July 17, 2020
Tibial Acceleration during Running Is Higher in Field Testing Than Indoor Testing
Clare E Milner1, Jillian L Hawkins, Kevin G Aubol
1Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia PA.
Laboratory and field measures of tibial acceleration differ in runners. Peak resultant acceleration is consistently higher than peak axial acceleration, suggesting field measurements are more informative for injury risk assessment.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Sports Medicine
- Running Analysis
Background:
- Tibial acceleration is a key metric in running studies.
- Wireless technology enables field measurements, but lab vs. field differences are unclear.
- The relationship between peak axial and peak resultant tibial acceleration needs clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare laboratory and field measurements of tibial acceleration in runners.
- To determine if peak axial and peak resultant tibial acceleration are interchangeable.
Main Methods:
- Nineteen healthy runners (18-45 years) participated.
- Accelerometers measured tibial acceleration during running in lab (overground, treadmill) and field (grass, sidewalk) conditions.
- Peak acceleration values were extracted and compared across conditions.
Main Results:
- Peak positive acceleration was lower in lab/treadmill vs. grass/sidewalk.
- Peak resultant acceleration was consistently higher than peak axial acceleration.
- Lab measures explained less than half the variance in field conditions, especially for grass.
Conclusions:
- Testing procedures significantly influence tibial impact acceleration magnitude in runners.
- Field measurements of tibial acceleration are recommended for developing new injury-related metrics.
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