A KINEMATIC COMPARISON OF THE RUN-WALK TRANSITION AND ULTRAMARATHONERS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare four kinematic variables seen as part of the runwalk transition with those same variables measured in runners of a 100km race. The sagittal kinematics of six elite, male, ultra-distance runners were analyzed from an equidistant point throughout the race. Vertical oscillations as measured from the greater trochanter and trunk, thigh and shank segment angles, from horizontal, were all measured and compared to patterns noted in previous literature. When compared it was observed that the 100km runners show significant results on at least one of the variables, meaning that some measured kinematics begin to show the signs of gait transition from a run to a walk.