UPPER TRUNK-PELVIS AXIAL ROTATION COORDINATION DURING TREADMILL RUNNING

Abstract

The purpose of our study was to assess the effect of running speed on upper trunk-pelvis coordination of axial rotation during running. A 7-camera Vicon system (120 Hz) was used to capture motions of 20 participants running on a treadmill at three speeds. Upper trunk and pelvis segmental angles were calculated and used in cross-correlation analysis and vector coding methodology to quantify upper trunk-pelvis phase lag and coordination patterns, respectively. Multilevel modeling was used to test running speed effect on those variables. Upper trunk motion preceded pelvic motion and the phase lag increased with running speed. Running speed could also contribute to changes in coordination pattern. Knowledge of upper trunk-pelvis coordination may potentially change our understanding of the roles of axial motions during running.