Spatiotemporal and kinematic adjustments in master runners may be associated with the relative physiological effort during running
Issued Date
2023-01-01
Resource Type
eISSN
26249367
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85174908499
Journal Title
Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
Volume
5
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Frontiers in Sports and Active Living Vol.5 (2023)
Suggested Citation
Jamkrajang P., Suwanmana S., Limroongreungrat W., Verheul J. Spatiotemporal and kinematic adjustments in master runners may be associated with the relative physiological effort during running. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living Vol.5 (2023). doi:10.3389/fspor.2023.1271502 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/90893
Title
Spatiotemporal and kinematic adjustments in master runners may be associated with the relative physiological effort during running
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Master runners maintain a similar running economy to young runners, despite displaying biomechanical characteristics that are associated with a worse running economy. This apparent paradox may be explained by a greater physiological effort—i.e., percentage of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2-max)—that master runners perform at a given speed. Moreover, age-related responses to non-exhaustive sustained running are yet underexplored. The aims of this study were, therefore, to examine if biomechanical adjustments in master runners are physiological-effort dependent, and to explore the age-related biomechanical changes during a non-exhaustive sustained run. Young (23.9 ± 6; n = 12) and master (47.3 ± 6.9; n = 12) runners performed a sustained 30-minute treadmill run matched for relative physiological effort (70% VO2-max), while spatiotemporal and lower-limb kinematic characteristics were collected during the 1st and 30th minute. Group differences were observed in step/stride length, knee touch-down angle, and knee stiffness. However, both groups of runners had a similar step frequency, vertical center of mass oscillation, and knee range of motion. Age-related adjustment in these latter characteristics may thus not be an inevitable result of the aging process but rather a strategy to maintain running economy. The relative physiological effort of runners should, therefore, be considered when examining age-related adjustments in running biomechanics.