TY - JOUR
T1 - Gait asymmetry in spatiotemporal and kinetic variables does not increase running-related injury risk in lower limbs
T2 - a secondary analysis of a randomised trial including 800+ recreational runners
AU - Malisoux, Laurent
AU - Gette, Paul
AU - Delattre, Nicolas
AU - Urhausen, Axel
AU - Theisen, Daniel
N1 - Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for- profit sector
Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024.
PY - 2024/1/4
Y1 - 2024/1/4
N2 - Objective To investigate asymmetry in spatiotemporal and kinetic variables in 800+ recreational runners, identify determinants of asymmetry, investigate if asymmetry is related to greater running injury risk and compare spatiotemporal and kinetic variables between the involved and uninvolved limb at baseline in runners having sustained an injury during follow-up. Methods 836 healthy recreational runners (38.6% women) were tested on an instrumented treadmill at their preferred running speed at baseline and followed up for 6 months. From ground reaction force recordings, spatiotemporal and kinetic variables were derived for each lower limb. The Symmetry Index was computed for each variable. Correlations and multiple regression analyses were performed to identify potential determinants of asymmetry. Cox regression analyses investigated the association between asymmetry and injury risk. Analysis of variance for repeated measures was used to compare the involved and uninvolved limbs in runners who had sustained injuries during follow-up. Results 107 participants reported at least one running-related injury. Leg length discrepancy and fat mass were the most common determinants of asymmetry, but all correlation coefficients were negligible (0.01-0.13) and explained variance was very low (multivariable-adjusted R2<0.01-0.03). Greater asymmetry for flight time and peak breaking force was associated with lower injury risk (HR (95% CI): 0.80 (0.64 to 0.99) and 0.96 (0.93 to 0.98), respectively). No between-limb differences were observed in runners having sustained an injury. Conclusion Gait asymmetry was not associated with higher injury risk for investigated spatiotemporal and kinetic variables.
AB - Objective To investigate asymmetry in spatiotemporal and kinetic variables in 800+ recreational runners, identify determinants of asymmetry, investigate if asymmetry is related to greater running injury risk and compare spatiotemporal and kinetic variables between the involved and uninvolved limb at baseline in runners having sustained an injury during follow-up. Methods 836 healthy recreational runners (38.6% women) were tested on an instrumented treadmill at their preferred running speed at baseline and followed up for 6 months. From ground reaction force recordings, spatiotemporal and kinetic variables were derived for each lower limb. The Symmetry Index was computed for each variable. Correlations and multiple regression analyses were performed to identify potential determinants of asymmetry. Cox regression analyses investigated the association between asymmetry and injury risk. Analysis of variance for repeated measures was used to compare the involved and uninvolved limbs in runners who had sustained injuries during follow-up. Results 107 participants reported at least one running-related injury. Leg length discrepancy and fat mass were the most common determinants of asymmetry, but all correlation coefficients were negligible (0.01-0.13) and explained variance was very low (multivariable-adjusted R2<0.01-0.03). Greater asymmetry for flight time and peak breaking force was associated with lower injury risk (HR (95% CI): 0.80 (0.64 to 0.99) and 0.96 (0.93 to 0.98), respectively). No between-limb differences were observed in runners having sustained an injury. Conclusion Gait asymmetry was not associated with higher injury risk for investigated spatiotemporal and kinetic variables.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85182221025&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38196940
U2 - 10.1136/bmjsem-2023-001787
DO - 10.1136/bmjsem-2023-001787
M3 - Article
C2 - 38196940
AN - SCOPUS:85182221025
SN - 2055-7647
VL - 10
JO - BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine
JF - BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine
IS - 1
M1 - e001787
ER -