Abstract
The inter-individual variability of running technique is an important factor affecting
the negative work of lower extremity joints that leads to muscle damage. Our study
examines the relationships between the negative work of the lower extremity joints
and the associated mechanical parameters that account for inter-individual variability
in the negative work. Twenty-four young male adults were asked to run on a runway
at a speed of 3.0 m·s−1. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationships between
the negative work and the associated mechanical parameters for each lower extremity
joint. With regards to the results, 76.3% of inter-individual variability in the negative
work of the hip joint was accounted for by inter-individual variabilities in the corresponding
moment (25.4%) and duration (50.9%). For the knee joint, the inter-individual variabilities
in the moment (40.6%), angular velocity (24.5%), and duration (23.8%) accounted for
88.9% of inter-individual variability in the negative work. The inter-individual variability
in the moment of the ankle joint alone accounted for 89.3% of the inter-individual
variability in the corresponding negative work. These results suggest that runners
can change the negative work by adapting their running techniques to influence the
relevant mechanical parameter values; however, major parameters corresponding to the
change in the negative work are not the same among the lower extremity joints.
Key words
running-related injury - lower extremity joint - inverse dynamics - multiple linear
regression analysis
