GAIT KINEMATICS AND VARIABILITY DURING NORMAL AND UNWEIGHTED TREADMILL RUNNING

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The biomechanics of running in unusual environments has received little attention. Hence the aim was to compare normal to unweighted at 40% of bodyweight treadmill running. Kinematic data were recorded for six participants running at 3.35 m/s. The stride frequency during unweighted was less than normal treadmill running (67 ± 10 v 83 ± 5 strides/min; p = 0.03). Particularly during the stance phase, participants demonstrated less knee flexion-extension and ankle dorsi-plantar flexion angular motion. Participants also demonstrated greater within- and between-participant variability during unweighted than normal treadmill running (e.g. left knee angle SD of 1.7 ± 0.2° v 3.1 ± 2.1°; p = 0.03). Unweighted treadmill running produces gait kinematics with less movement and with greater variability, which may have implications for training and rehabilitative uses.