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Affiliation
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Kinesiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, UNITED STATES. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of ankle taping, bracing, and fibular reposition taping (FRT) on running biomechanics as measured with wearable sensors.
Approach: A crossover study design was employed as 12 young adults (6 males, 6 females) with history of ankle sprain completed four 400m runs at self-selected pace on an outdoor track. One of four conditions (control, taped, braced, FRT) was applied prior to each run. RunScribeTM sensors were heel-mounted on each shoe and measured kinematic (maximum pronation velocity, pronation excursion), kinetic (braking and impact g's) and spatiotemporal (cycle time, contact time, stride length, stride pace) variables. Ankle range of motion (ROM) was also measured before and after each run.
Main Results: Significant differences were found across conditions for maximum pronation velocity (p<.001), pronation excursion (p<.001), braking g (p=.02) and cycle time (p=.05). Taping restricted maximum pronation velocity (528.8±193.6°/sec) and pronation excursion (11.9±4.7°) the most, followed by bracing (562.1±178.3°/sec; 12.9±5.1°). Braking g were significantly higher in the control condition (12.1±0.9 g) condition compared to braced (11.6±1.2 g) and taped (11.6±1.0 g). Cycle time was significantly greater in the braced condition (677.8±43.7 ms) compared to taped (669.3±44.6 ms) and FRT (672.1±44.2 ms). Ankle ROM increased post-run in all conditions.
Significance: Ankle taping and bracing were shown to be comparable in their abilities to decrease ankle kinematics and kinetics, while FRT caused minimal changes in running biomechanics. These results demonstrate the utility of wearable sensors to measure running biomechanics in a field-based study of a clinical sports medicine intervention.
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© 2018 Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.
Language: en |