Kinetic Sprint Asymmetries on a non-motorised Treadmill in Rugby Union Athletes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to present a potential link between sprint kinetic (vertical [F _V] and horizontal force [F _H]) asymmetries and athletic performance during acceleration and maximal velocity (v _max) sprinting. Thirty un-injured male rugby athletes performed 8-s sprints on a non-motorised treadmill. Kinetic data were divided into ‘strong’ and ‘weak’ legs based on individually averaged peak values observed during sprinting and were analysed to evaluate asymmetry. Large differences were found between the strong and weak legs in F _H during acceleration (4.3 vs. 3.5 N·kg⁻¹) and v _max (3.7 vs. 2.8 N·kg⁻¹) sprinting (both ES=1.2), but not in F _V (21.8 vs. 20.8 N·kg⁻¹, ES=− 0.6 for acceleration; 23.9 vs. 22.8 N·kg⁻¹, ES=− 0.5 for v _max, respectively). Group mean asymmetry was lower in F _V compared to F _H during acceleration (1.6 vs. 6.8%) and v _max (1.6 vs. 8.2%). The range of asymmetry was much lower in F _V (0.03–4.3%) compared to F _H (0.2–28%). In un-injured rugby athletes, the magnitude and range of asymmetry scores in F _H, occurring during acceleration and v _max phases, where much greater than those found in F _V. These findings highlight the potential for some un-injured athletes to possess kinetic asymmetries known as crucial components for acceleration performance in sprinting.

Key words

Woodway - horizontal force - vertical force - acceleration - maximal velocity - sprint performance

• References

• 1 Allard P, Lanchance R, Aissaoui R, Duhaime M. Simultaneous bilateral 3-D able-bodied gait. Hum Movement Sci 1996; 15: 327-346
• 2 Ammann R, Taube W, Wyss T. Gait asymmetry during 400 to 1000 m high-intensity track running in relation to injury history. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2016 DOI: in press
• 3 Arsac LM, Elio L. Modeling the energetics of 100-m running by using speed curves of world champions. J Appl Physiol 2002; 92: 1781-1788
• 4 Brown SR, Brughelli M, Cross MR. Profiling sprint mechanics by leg preference and position in rugby union athletes. Int J Sports Med 2016; 37: 890-897
• 5 Brughelli M, Cronin J, Mendiguchia J, Kinsella D, Nosaka K. Contralateral leg deficits in kinetic and kinematic variables during running in Australian rules football players with previous hamstring injuries. J Strength Cond Res 2010; 24: 2539-2544
• 6 Buckley JG. Biomechanical adaptations of transtibial amputee sprinting in athletes using dedicated prostheses. Clin Biomech 2000; 15: 352-358
• 7 Carpes FP, Mota CB, Faria IE. On the bilateral asymmetry during running and cycling – A review considering leg preference. Phys Ther Sport 2010; 11: 136-142
• 8 Cross MR, Brughelli M, Brown SR, Samozino P, Gill ND, Cronin JB, Morin J-B. Mechanical properties of sprinting in elite rugby union and rugby league. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2015; 10: 695-702
• 9 Cross MR, Brughelli ME, Cronin JB. Effects of vest loading on sprint kinetics and kinematics. J Strength Cond Res 2014; 28: 1867-1874
• 10 Cunniffe B, Proctor W, Baker J, Davies B. An evaluation of the physiological demands of elite rugby union using global positioning system tracking software. J Strength Cond Res 2009; 23: 1195-1203
• 11 Exell T, Irwin G, Gittoes M, Kerwin D. Strength and performance asymmetry during maximal velocity sprint running. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2016 DOI: in press
• 12 Exell TA. Lower-limb biomechanical asymmetry in maximal velocity sprint running. Cardiff Metropolitan University; 2010: 217
• 13 Exell TA, Gittoes MJR, Irwin G, Kerwin DG. Gait asymmetry: Composite scores for mechanical analyses of sprint running. J Biomech 2012; 45: 1108-1111
• 14 Exell TA, Irwin G, Gittoes MJR, Kerwin DG. Implications of intra-limb variability on asymmetry analyses. J Sports Sci 2012; 30: 403-409
• 15 Girard O, Brocherie F, Morin J-B, Millet GP. Intrasession and intersession reliability of running mechanics during treadmill sprints. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2016; 11: 432-439
• 16 Harriss DJ, Atkinson G. Ethical standards in sport and exercise science research: 2016 update. Int J Sports Med 2015; 36: 1121-1124
• 17 Herzog W, Nigg BM, Read LJ, Olsson E. Asymmetries in ground reaction force patterns in normal human gait. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1989; 21: 110-114
• 18 Highton JM, Lamb KL, Twist C, Nicholas C. The reliability and validity of short-distance sprint performance assessed on a nonmotorized treadmill. J Strength Cond Res 2012; 26: 458-465
• 19 Hopkins WG, Marshall SW, Batterham AM, Hanin J. Progressive statistics for studies in sports medicine and exercise science. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2009; 41: 3-12
• 20 Hori N, Newton RU, Kawamori N, McGuigan MR, Kraemer WJ, Nosaka K. Reliability of performance measurements derived from ground reaction force data during countermovement jump and the influence of sampling frequency. J Strength Cond Res 2009; 23: 874-882
• 21 Jacobs C, Uhl TL, Seely M, Sterling W, Goodrich L. Strength and fatigability of the dominant and nondominant hip abductors. J Athl Train 2005; 40: 203-206
• 22 Lakomy HKA. The use of a non-motorized treadmill for analysing sprint performance. Ergonomics 1987; 30: 627-637
• 23 Mendiguchia J, Brughelli M. A return-to-sport algorithm for acute hamstring injuries. Phys Ther Sport 2011; 12: 2-14
• 24 Mendiguchia J, Samozino P, Martinez-Ruiz E, Brughelli M, Schmikli S, Morin J-B, Mendez-Villanueva A. Progression of mechanical properties during on-field sprint running after returning to sports from a hamstring muscle injury in soccer players. Int J Sports Med 2014; 35: 690-695
• 25 Morin J-B, Bourdin M, Edouard P, Peyrot N, Samozino P, Lacour J-R. Mechanical determinants of 100-m sprint running performance. Eur J Appl Physiol 2012; 112: 3921-3930
• 26 Morin J-B, Samozino P. Interpreting power-force-velocity profiles for individualized and specific training. Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2016; 11: 267-272
• 27 Morin J-B, Sève P. Sprint running performance: Comparison between treadmill and field conditions. Eur J Appl Physiol 2011; 111: 1695-1703
• 28 Morin J-B, Slawinski J, Dorel S, Saez de villarreal E, Couturier A, Samozino P, Brughelli M, Rabita G. Acceleration capability in elite sprinters and ground impulse: Push more, brake less?. J Biomech 2015; 48: 3149-3154
• 29 Rabita G, Dorel S, Slawinski J, Saez de villarreal E, Couturier A, Samozino P, Morin J-B. Sprint mechanics in world-class athletes: A new insight into the limits of human locomotion. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2015; 25: 583-594
• 30 Rumpf MC, Cronin JB, Mohamad IN, Mohamad S, Oliver JL, Hughes MG. Kinetic asymmetries during running in male youth. Phys Ther Sport 2014; 15: 53-57
• 31 Sadeghi H, Allard P, Duhaime M. Functional gait asymmetry in able-bodied subjects. Hum Movement Sci 1997; 16: 243-258
• 32 Sadeghi H, Allard P, Prince F, Labelle H. Symmetry and limb dominance in able-bodied gait: A review. Gait Posture 2000; 12: 34-45
• 33 Simperingham KD, Cronin JB, Ross A. Advances in sprint acceleration profiling for field-based team-sport athletes: Utility, reliability, validity and limitations. Sports Med 2016; 46: 1619-1645
• 34 Vagenas G, Hoshizaki B. Functional asymmetries and lateral dominance in the lower limbs of distance runners. Int J Sport Biomech 1991; 7: 311-329
• 35 Weyand PG, Sandell RF, Prime DNL, Bundle MW. The biological limits to running speed are imposed from the ground up. J Appl Physiol 2010; 108: 950-961
• 36 Zifchock RA, Davis I, Hamill J. Kinetic asymmetry in female runners with and without retrospective tibial stress fractures. J Biomech 2006; 39: 2792-2797
• 37 Zifchock RA, Davis I, Higginson J, Royer T. The symmetry angle: A novel, robust method of quantifying asymmetry. Gait Posture 2008; 27: 622-627