Running mechanics of females with bilateral compartment syndrome.
Dai Sugimoto, Anna N Brilliant, Duncan A d'Hemecourt and 3 others
PMID 30154600WHAT IT FOUND
Female runners with bilateral chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) showed greater overstride and ankle dorsiflexion angles at initial contact than healthy runners.
These mechanical differences were strongly linked in the CECS group but not in controls, suggesting gait retraining targets.
Key findings
01Runners with bilateral CECS had significantly greater mean overstride angles (10.9 degrees) and ankle dorsiflexion angles (19.0 degrees) at initial contact compared to healthy controls (7.9 degrees and 14.9 degrees, respectively).
02There was a strong, significant association between overstride and ankle dorsiflexion angles in the CECS group (r=0.813), but only a poor, non-significant association in the healthy control group (r=0.213).
03No significant difference was found in foot strike patterns (rearfoot vs. midfoot/forefoot) between the CECS and healthy groups, despite all CECS runners using a rearfoot strike.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample size of the CECS group was very small (n=7), limiting the generalizability of the findings. The study included only female runners, so results cannot be applied to male patients with CECS. Training dosage variables such as frequency, duration, and season were not controlled for in the analysis. The study design was retrospective, relying on existing medical records and video archives.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that foot strike pattern is the primary differentiator between healthy runners and those with CECS. The study found no significant difference in foot strike types between groups, but did find significant differences in overstride and ankle dorsiflexion angles.