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Sensor-based gait training to reduce contact time for runners with exercise-related lower leg pain: a randomised
Alexandra F DeJong Lempke1, Stephanie L Stephens2, Pamela N Fish3
1Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Objectives:
To assess the effects of a 4-week randomised controlled trial comparing an outdoor gait-training programme to reduce contact time in conjunction with home exercises (contact time gait-training feedback with home exercises (FBHE)) to home exercises (HEs) alone for runners with exercise-related lower leg pain on sensor-derived biomechanics and patient-reported outcomes.
Design:
Randomised controlled trial.
Setting:
Laboratory and field-based study.
Participants:
20 runners with exercise-related lower leg pain were randomly allocated into FBHE (4 male (M), 6 female (F), 23±4 years, 22.0±4.3 kg/m2) or HE groups (3 M, 7 F, 25±5 years, 23.6±3.9 kg/m2).
Interventions:
Both groups completed eight sessions of HEs over 4 weeks. The FBHE group received vibrotactile feedback through wearable sensors to reduce contact time during outdoor running.
Primary And Secondary Outcome Measures:
Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and outdoor gait assessments were conducted for both groups at baseline and 4 weeks. PROMs were repeated at 6 weeks, and feedback retention was assessed at 6 weeks for the FBHE group. Repeated measures analyses of variance were used to assess the influence of group and timepoint on primary outcomes.
Results:
The FBHE group reported increased function and recovery on PROMs beyond the HE group at 6 weeks (p<0.001). There was a significant group by time interaction for Global Rating of Change (p=0.004) and contact time (p=0.002); the FBHE group reported greater subjective improvement and reduced contact time at 4 and 6 weeks compared with the HE group and compared with baseline. The FBHE group had increased cadence (mean difference: 7 steps/min, p=0.01) at 4 weeks during outdoor running compared with baseline.
Conclusion:
FBHE was more effective than HE alone for runners with exercise-related lower leg pain, manifested with improved PROMs, reduced contact time and increased cadence.
Trial Registration Number:
NCT04270565.
