Lower Extremity Kinematics and Injury Risk in Collegiate Cross-Country Runners

Lower Extremity Kinematics and Injury Risk in Collegiate Cross-Country Runners

Alvin Sherman Library

Faulty stance-phase running kinematics such as decreased knee flexion (KFLEX) and excessive hip adduction (HADD), contralateral pelvis drop (CPD), and trunk lean (TL) have been linked to running related injuries (RRI) in recreational distance runners. Less is known about collegiate runners who typically have higher and more uniform training volumes. Thus, the study purpose was to prospectively determine if select kinematics could identify RRI risk in collegiate NCAA Division II runners. We conducted laboratory-based 3D biomechanical analyses of 22 runners (sex, 17♀, 5♂; age, 18-25 yrs; height, 1.7±0.1 m; mass, 60.4±8.9 kg) at their competitive season start and tracked RRI during the 2- month season. Kinematic variables were KFLEX, HADD, CPD, and TL during stance. A binary logistic regression was performed to determine the effects of the variables on the likelihood of RRI, and differences in the kinematics between injured and uninjured were evaluated using independent t-tests. Ten participants (45%) sustained 18 RRI. Anterior knee pain and knee tendinosis were the most common diagnoses. Regression model was not significant, χ2(7)=10.82, p=0.147. Injured runners had larger TL than uninjured (14.0±5.8° vs. 11.5±4.2°), but it was not significant. The only significant difference was the injured runners had greater stance-phase KFLEX than the uninjured (41.9±3.0° vs. 36.7±6.4°; t(19)=2.352, p=0.045). A less compliant knee has been shown to negatively affect tissue loading rate. However, our injured participants had more compliant KFLEX influencing RRI in this group. Monitoring KFLEX throughout a season may yield more insight into RRI, especially at the knee. This study was approved by the Nova Southeastern University Institutional Review Board (Protocol #2017-187).