Etiologic factors associated with selected running injuries

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between selected biomechanical, anthropometric, and training variables and runners afflicted with one of the following injuries: iliotibial (IT) band friction syndrome, shin splints, and plantar fasciitis. Competitive and recreational runners were divided into a non-injured control group (N = 19), an IT band friction syndrome injury group (N = 13), a shin splint injury group (N = 17), and a plantar fasciitis injury group (N = 15). Discriminant function analysis of the biomechanical data revealed two significant (P less than 0.05) discriminators between the control and shin splint groups; maximum pronation velocity and maximum pronation. Analysis of the anthropometric and training data revealed that plantar flexion range of motion was a significant (P less than 0.05) discriminator between the control and plantar fasciitis groups. In addition, analysis of the descriptive statistics (mean +/- SE) identified some non-significant (P greater than 0.05) trends between the injury and control groups: maximum pronation, total rearfoot movement, and maximum velocity of pronation were greater in the injury groups; the injury groups showed a trend toward a higher arch; dorsiflexion range of motion was less in the shin splint group; a greater percentage of injured runners had a leg length difference (greater than 0.64 cm); 20% more runners in the injury groups ran hills; and 20% more of the runners in the IT band friction syndrome group ran on crowned roads.