Running Cadence and the Influence on Frontal Plane Knee Deviations

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Sports Medicine
• Running Gait Analysis

Background:

• Patellofemoral pain is a prevalent injury among recreational runners.
• Dynamic knee valgus is a significant contributing factor to patellofemoral pain.
• Non-operative interventions, such as gait retraining, are explored for managing knee valgus.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of increased running cadence on dynamic knee valgus angles.
• To determine if altering cadence can serve as a biomechanical intervention for runners.
• To assess the potential of cadence modification in reducing patellofemoral pain.

Main Methods:

• Ten asymptomatic recreational runners participated in a controlled treadmill study.
• Participants ran at baseline and 110% of their baseline cadence for five-minute intervals.
• Knee valgus angles were measured using Dartfish Express, with statistical analysis via paired t-tests.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant decrease in peak knee valgus was observed with increased cadence.
• The average reduction was 2.23° for the right leg and 2.05° for the left leg (p < 0.001).
• These findings demonstrate a clear biomechanical response to altered running cadence.

Conclusions:

• Increasing running cadence effectively reduces dynamic knee valgus angles.
• This intervention offers a promising non-operative approach for managing and preventing patellofemoral pain.
• Altering running cadence is a viable strategy for gait retraining in runners.