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. 2016 Sep;51(9):682-687.
doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-51.11.11. Epub 2016 Nov 4.

Altered Vertical Ground Reaction Forces in Participants With Chronic Ankle Instability While Running

John Bigouette  1 , Janet Simon  2 , Kathy Liu  3 , Carrie L Docherty  4
Affiliations

Altered Vertical Ground Reaction Forces in Participants With Chronic Ankle Instability While Running

John Bigouette et al. J Athl Train. 2016 Sep.

Abstract

Context: Altered gait kinetics may increase the risk of long-term injuries in participants with chronic ankle instability (CAI). Vertical ground reaction forces (vGRFs) can provide insight into how body loading is altered.

Objective: To compare the components of vGRFs while running in participants with or without CAI.

Design: Cohort study.

Setting: University biomechanics laboratory.

Patients or other participants: Twenty-four experienced, college-aged runners. Groups were categorized by the presence (CAI group) or absence (control group) of CAI through self-reported questionnaires.

Intervention(s): After a warm-up period, all participants ran on an instrumented treadmill for 5 minutes at 3.3 m/s. Data were collected during the last 30 seconds. Five continuous trials of heel-to-toe running were identified per participant and averaged for statistical analysis.

Main outcome measure(s): The dependent variables were impact peak force (N/body weight [BW]), active peak force (N/BW), time to impact peak force (milliseconds), time to active peak force (milliseconds), and average loading rate ([N/BW]/s).

Results: A difference was found between groups (P = .002). The CAI group had higher impact peak forces (P = .001) and active peak forces (P = .002) compared with the control group. The CAI group also had an increased loading rate (P = .001) and a shorter time to reach the active peak force (P = .001) compared with the control group. No difference was seen between groups in the time to reach the impact peak force (P = .952).

Conclusions: Participants with CAI produced altered vGRFs and loading rates while running. Altered loading rates could predispose individuals with CAI to stress-related injuries and repetitive sprains.

Keywords: biomechanics; gait; kinetics; stress fractures.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Dependent variables of the vertical ground reaction force (GRF) curve. A, Impact peak (N/BW). B, Time to impact peak (milliseconds). C, Active peak (N/BW). D, Time to active peak (milliseconds). E, Average loading rate ([N/BW]/s). Abbreviation: BW, body weight.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Comparison of 2 vertical ground reaction force (GRF) curves between groups. Abbreviations: BW, body weight; CAI, chronic ankle instability.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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