A STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE FROM DIFFERENT RUNNING SLOPE ON THE ANGLES OF LIMB JOINTS

Abstract

This study focuses on an analysis and comparison of the hip, knee, and ankle joint angle changes and differences during the stance and swing phase of the running gait cycle while running on the same uphill or downhill gradient as well as the lower joint angle changes while running on different uphill or downhill inclines or on level ground. This study should also provide insight into whether or not there is a significant difference between the lower joint angle patterns while running on slopes of different steepness, which in turn can serve as a reference for runners and coaches for uphill or downhill running training or workout exercises. For this study we employed a high-speed camera, which allows us to capture the running motion cycles of the sagittal plane of test subjects while running on different uphill or downhill gradients. Motion analysis software was employed for data compilation, while a comparative analysis was conducted by utilizing statistical software. After extensive discussions and analysis, we reached the following conclusions: 1. Slope gradient changes have a significant impact on hip joint angles during the stance phase. The steeper the incline is, the greater is the difference between the hip joint angles. 2. Slope gradient changes have a significant effect on joint angle changes during the swing phase. The steeper the uphill gradient, the smaller are the hip, knee, and ankle joint angles, while steeper downhill gradients lead to larger hip and knee joint angles. 3. A comparison of the changes of all joint angles during uphill, downhill, and level ground running reveals that angle changes during uphill running are greater than during downhill running. It can be inferred that this phenomenon is caused by the fact that the number of muscle groups involved in uphill running is larger than in downhill running.