COORDINATION BETWEEN LOCOMOTION AND BREATHING DURING RUNNING

Abstract

This study investigated the coupling between locomotory and breathing rhythms based on speed, and running experience level. Findings in the current literature are inconclusive because of the wide variety of techniques used as well as their insensitivity to half-integer couplings and/or changes from one coupling to another. Male subjects (5 runners, 5 non-runners) ran at three treadmill speeds. The relative phase between heel strike and end-inspiration allowed for the assessment of the strength and variability of frequency coupling. Results indicate strong individual differences that are masked by grouping subjects. The difference between runners and non-runners may not lie in the coupling strength but in the stability of the dominant coupling across running speeds.