title: Mechanical Alterations during 800-m Self-Paced Track Running.
abstract: We assessed the time course of running mechanical alterations during an 800-m. On a 200-m indoor track, 18 physical education students performed an 800-m self-paced run. Once per lap, ground reaction forces were measured by a 5-m-long force platform system, and used to determine running kinetics/kinematics and spring-mass characteristics. Compared with 100 m (19.4±1.8 km.h-1) running velocity progressively decreased at 300, 500 m but levelled-off at 700 m marks (-5.7±4.6, -10.4±8.3, and -9.1±13.5%, respectively; P<0.001). Stride length (-8.5±2.3%, P<0.01) and frequency (-1.0±1.5%, P=0.05) along with peak braking (-7.5±4.4%, P<0.05) and push-off forces (-5.1±7.2%, P<0.05) decreased from 100 m to 700 m. Peak vertical forces (-3.0±2.7%; P>0.05) and leg compression (+2.8±3.9%; P>0.05) remained unchanged, whereas centre of mass vertical displacement (+24.0±7.0%; P<0.001) increased during the run. Vertical stiffness decreased (-18.1±4.4%; P<0.001), whereas leg stiffness was unchanged (-3.2±4.6%; P>0.05). During an 800 m by physical education students, highest running velocity was achieved early during the run, with a progressive decrease in the second half of the trial. While vertical ground force characteristics remained unchanged, non-specialist runners produced lower peak braking and push-off forces, in turn leading to shorter stride length. Spring-mass model characteristics changed toward lower vertical stiffness values, whereas leg stiffness did not change.
authors.affiliation: Athlete Health and Performance Research Centre, ASPETAR - Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Girard
authors.affiliation: ISSUL, Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Gregoire P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Millet
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Sport Sciences, Movement to Health (M2H), University of Montpellier 1, EuroMov, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Micallef
mesh_terms: D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013334:Students; D055815:Young Adult