THE INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT TESTING CONDITIONS ON EMG-ACTIVITY AND KINEMATICS OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY IN RUNNING

Abstract

Different testing conditions such as treadmill running or over ground running on laboratory tracks with different path lengths can be used to investigate running mechanics. Data gained in treadmill running or short laboratory track running is only transferable to longer distance over ground running if the testing condition does not influence the analyzed parameters. Although there is already information about the changes in kinematics concerning this matter there is just little information about the possible changes in EMGactivity (Nigg et al., 1995, Wank et al., 1998). Therefore the purpose of this study was to investigate if (a) EMG- and kinematic data recorded in running on a treadmill and running over a long and short laboratory track show intra-condition variability (b) there are differences between the conditions in analyzed parameters.