title: Effects of stride length and running mileage on a probabilistic stress fracture model.
abstract: The fatigue life of bone is inversely related to strain magnitude. Decreasing stride length is a potential mechanism of strain reduction during running. If stride length is decreased, the number of loading cycles will increase for a given mileage. It is unclear if increased loading cycles are detrimental to skeletal health despite reductions in strain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of stride length and running mileage on the probability of tibial stress fracture.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten male subjects ran overground at their preferred running velocity during two conditions: preferred stride length and 10% reduction in preferred stride length. Force platform and kinematic data were collected concurrently. A combination of experimental and musculoskeletal modeling techniques was used to determine joint contact forces acting on the distal tibia. Peak instantaneous joint contact forces served as inputs to a finite element model to estimate tibial strains during stance. Stress fracture probability for stride length conditions and three running mileages (3, 5, and 7 miles x d(-1)) were determined using a probabilistic model of bone damage, repair, and adaptation. Differences in stress fracture probability were compared between conditions using a 2 x 3 repeated-measures ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main effects of stride length (P = 0.017) and running mileage (P = 0.001) were significant. Reducing stride length decreased the probability of stress fracture by 3% to 6%. Increasing running mileage increased the probability of stress fracture by 4% to 10%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that strain magnitude plays a more important role in stress fracture development than the total number of loading cycles. Runners wishing to decrease their probability for tibial stress fracture may benefit from a 10% reduction in stride length.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-1160, USA. edwards9@iastate.edu
authors.forename: W Brent
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Rudolphi
authors.forename: Jason C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gillette
authors.forename: Timothy R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Derrick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders; D015775:Fractures, Stress / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013977:Tibia / Q000293:injuries; D055815:Young Adult