Using Real Time Biofeedback to Alter Running Mechanics

Keller Army Community Hospital191 enrolled

Overview

The purposes of this study are 1) to assess foot strike patterns initially, at six months and at one year between two groups of runners attempting to transition to a non-rearfoot strike pattern (NRFS) with and without the use of biofeedback technology, and 2) to prospectively compare injury incidence rates at one year between NRFS and rearfoot strike (RFS) runners.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

TRIPLE

Enrollment

191

Conditions

Healthy

Interventions

Biofeedback SensorDEVICE

Tibia accelerometer strapped to distal tibia to detect tibial shock

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 50 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Between the age of 18 - 50 years 2. Run on average 12mi per week 3. DOD beneficiaries who intend to remain at West Point, NY for the next 12 months at time of study enrollment 4. Read and speak English well enough to provide informed consent and follow study instructions Exclusion Criteria: 1. Known pregnancy currently or in the previous 6 months 2. Lower extremity or low back pain in the previous 3 months 3. Lower extremity or low back surgery in the previous 6 months 4. Any lower extremity or low back exercise limiting profile 5. Previous stress fracture of the foot 6. Participant who has a non-rearfoot strike running pattern

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in Foot Strike Pattern From Baseline

Foot strike pattern will be either classified as rearfoot strike or non-rearfoot strike. This is determined by video analysis of 240hz camera. All participants baseline foot strike pattern was rearfoot at study enrollment.

Time frame: Immediately post-training, 6mo post-training, and 1yr post-training

Secondary Outcomes

Injury Incidence Between Foot Strike Patterns

Percentage of runners that became injured over 1 yr. Injury defined as pain in the lower extremity that caused restriction or stoppage of running for at least one week, or required the runner to consult a physician or other health care professional.

Time frame: 1yr

Relative Risk of Injury

Risk of runner to develop a knee injury based on foot-strike pattern

Time frame: 1yr

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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