title: Mechanical determinants of 100-m sprint running performance.
abstract: Sprint mechanics and field 100-m performances were tested in 13 subjects including 9 non-specialists, 3 French national-level sprinters and a world-class sprinter, to further study the mechanical factors associated with sprint performance. 6-s sprints performed on an instrumented treadmill allowed continuous recording of step kinematics, ground reaction forces (GRF), and belt velocity and computation of mechanical power output and linear force-velocity relationships. An index of the force application technique was computed as the slope of the linear relationship between the decrease in the ratio of horizontal-to-resultant GRF and the increase in velocity. Mechanical power output was positively correlated to mean 100-m speed (P < 0.01), as was the theoretical maximal velocity production capability (P < 0.011), whereas the theoretical maximal force production capability was not. The ability to apply the resultant force backward during acceleration was positively correlated to 100-m performance (r                 (s) > 0.683; P < 0.018), but the magnitude of resultant force was not (P = 0.16). Step frequency, contact and swing time were significantly correlated to acceleration and 100-m performance (positively for the former, negatively for the two latter, all P < 0.05), whereas aerial time and step length were not (all P > 0.21). Last, anthropometric data of body mass index and lower-limb-to-height ratio showed no significant correlation with 100-m performance. We concluded that the main mechanical determinants of 100-m performance were (1) a "velocity-oriented" force-velocity profile, likely explained by (2) a higher ability to apply the resultant GRF vector with a forward orientation over the acceleration, and (3) a higher step frequency resulting from a shorter contact time.
authors.affiliation: University of Lyon, 42023, Saint Etienne, France. jean.benoit.morin@univ-st-etienne.fr
authors.forename: Jean-Benoît
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Morin
authors.forename: Muriel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bourdin
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Edouard
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Peyrot
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Samozino
authors.forename: Jean-René
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lacour
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*