Systematic reduction of leg muscle activity throughout a standard assessment of running footwear
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate whether there is a systematic change of leg muscle activity, as quantified by surface electromyography (EMG), throughout a standard running footwear assessment protocol at a predetermined running speed. Methods: Thirty-one physically active adults (15 females...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Sport and Health Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209525462100003X |
| _version_ | 1817975935189647360 |
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| author | Maurice Mohr Vinzenz von Tscharner Sandro Nigg Benno M Nigg |
| author_facet | Maurice Mohr Vinzenz von Tscharner Sandro Nigg Benno M Nigg |
| author_sort | Maurice Mohr |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: This study aimed to investigate whether there is a systematic change of leg muscle activity, as quantified by surface electromyography (EMG), throughout a standard running footwear assessment protocol at a predetermined running speed. Methods: Thirty-one physically active adults (15 females and 16 males) completed 5 testing rounds consisting of overground running trials at a speed of 3.5 m/s. The level of muscle activity from 6 major leg muscles was recorded using surface EMG. The variables assessed were the EMG total intensity as a function of time and the cumulative EMG overall intensity. Systematic effects of the chronological testing round (independent variable) on the normalized EMG overall intensity (dependent variable) were examined using Friedman analysis of variates and post hoc pairwise Wilcoxon signed-rank tests (α = 0.05). Results: There was a systematic reduction in overall EMG intensity for all 6 muscles over the time course of the running protocol (p < 0.001) until the fourth testing round when EMG intensities reached a steady state. The one exception was the biceps femoris muscle, which showed a significant reduction of EMG intensity during the stance phase (p < 0.001) but not the swing phase (p = 0.16). Conclusion: While running at a predetermined speed, the neuromuscular system undergoes an adaptation process characterized by a progressive reduction in the activity level of major leg muscles. This process may represent an optimization strategy of the neuromuscular system towards a more energetically efficient running style. Future running protocols should include a familiarization period of at least 7 min or 600 strides of running at the predetermined speed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:55:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d51c03fbae3143e684e512531d80a807 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2095-2546 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T21:55:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Sport and Health Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-d51c03fbae3143e684e512531d80a8072022-12-22T02:28:15ZengElsevierJournal of Sport and Health Science2095-25462022-05-01113309318Systematic reduction of leg muscle activity throughout a standard assessment of running footwearMaurice Mohr0Vinzenz von Tscharner1Sandro Nigg2Benno M Nigg3Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria; Human Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; Corresponding author.Human Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, CanadaHuman Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, CanadaHuman Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, CanadaPurpose: This study aimed to investigate whether there is a systematic change of leg muscle activity, as quantified by surface electromyography (EMG), throughout a standard running footwear assessment protocol at a predetermined running speed. Methods: Thirty-one physically active adults (15 females and 16 males) completed 5 testing rounds consisting of overground running trials at a speed of 3.5 m/s. The level of muscle activity from 6 major leg muscles was recorded using surface EMG. The variables assessed were the EMG total intensity as a function of time and the cumulative EMG overall intensity. Systematic effects of the chronological testing round (independent variable) on the normalized EMG overall intensity (dependent variable) were examined using Friedman analysis of variates and post hoc pairwise Wilcoxon signed-rank tests (α = 0.05). Results: There was a systematic reduction in overall EMG intensity for all 6 muscles over the time course of the running protocol (p < 0.001) until the fourth testing round when EMG intensities reached a steady state. The one exception was the biceps femoris muscle, which showed a significant reduction of EMG intensity during the stance phase (p < 0.001) but not the swing phase (p = 0.16). Conclusion: While running at a predetermined speed, the neuromuscular system undergoes an adaptation process characterized by a progressive reduction in the activity level of major leg muscles. This process may represent an optimization strategy of the neuromuscular system towards a more energetically efficient running style. Future running protocols should include a familiarization period of at least 7 min or 600 strides of running at the predetermined speed.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209525462100003XMuscle co-contractionRunning familiarizationRunning footwearRunning shoesSurface electromyography |
| spellingShingle | Maurice Mohr Vinzenz von Tscharner Sandro Nigg Benno M Nigg Systematic reduction of leg muscle activity throughout a standard assessment of running footwear Journal of Sport and Health Science Muscle co-contraction Running familiarization Running footwear Running shoes Surface electromyography |
| title | Systematic reduction of leg muscle activity throughout a standard assessment of running footwear |
| title_full | Systematic reduction of leg muscle activity throughout a standard assessment of running footwear |
| title_fullStr | Systematic reduction of leg muscle activity throughout a standard assessment of running footwear |
| title_full_unstemmed | Systematic reduction of leg muscle activity throughout a standard assessment of running footwear |
| title_short | Systematic reduction of leg muscle activity throughout a standard assessment of running footwear |
| title_sort | systematic reduction of leg muscle activity throughout a standard assessment of running footwear |
| topic | Muscle co-contraction Running familiarization Running footwear Running shoes Surface electromyography |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209525462100003X |
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