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Updated: Aug 15, 2026
08:26
Comparative Analysis of Lower Limb Kinematics between the Initial and Terminal Phase of 5km Treadmill Running
Published on: July 17, 2020
Movement Dynamics of Treadmill Running Within the Different Exercise Intensity Domains in Male Runners
Ben Hunter1,2, Bettina Karsten3,4, Mark Burnley5
1School of Human Sciences, London Metropolitan University, London, UK.
European Journal of Sport Science
|August 13, 2026
Summary
This study explored running gait dynamics across different exercise intensities. Higher intensities reduced stability and dimensionality, suggesting speed, not just fatigue, influences movement patterns.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics and Exercise Physiology
- Analysis of human movement patterns
- Exploration of non-linear dynamics in locomotion
Background:
- Fatigue etiology varies across exercise intensity domains.
- Limited research exists on non-linear gait dynamics across moderate, heavy, and severe exercise intensities.
- Understanding movement variability and stability is crucial for exercise science.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate movement variability and stability in moderate, heavy, and severe exercise intensity domains.
- To examine how gait dynamics evolve over time during running.
- To differentiate the roles of speed-related constraints versus metabolic stress in regulating gait.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-one male runners performed treadmill trials at three intensity domains.
- 3D motion analysis captured lower limb joint angles and center of mass (CoM) displacement.
- Non-linear dynamics (Lyapunov exponent, correlation dimension, MeanSD) assessed gait stability, dimensionality, and variability.
Main Results:
- Exercise intensity significantly affected gait dynamics, including ankle, knee, and hip joint stability (LyE) and dimensionality (CoD).
- Center of mass (CoM) parameters showed significant intensity effects in 6 out of 9 measures.
- Higher intensities correlated with reduced local dynamic stability, lower dimensionality, and increased variability, with time effects being minimal.
Conclusions:
- Between-domain differences in gait dynamics are more aligned with speed-related task constraints than solely cumulative fatigue or metabolic stress.
- Movement dynamics change across exercise intensities, but not exclusively due to metabolic stress.
- Gait variability and stability are modulated by exercise intensity and speed, offering insights into running biomechanics.
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