Running biomechanics: shorter heels, better economy
2008
SUMMARY Better running economy (i.e. a lower rate of energy consumption at a given
speed) is correlated with superior distance running performance. There is
substantial variation in running economy, even among elite runners. This
variation might be due to variation in the storage and reutilization of
elastic energy in tendons. Using a simple musculoskeletal model, it was
predicted that the amount of energy stored in a tendon during a given movement
depends more critically on moment arm than on mechanical properties of the
tendon, with the amount of stored energy increasing as the moment arm gets
smaller. Assuming a link between elastic energy reutilization and overall
metabolic cost of running, a smaller moment arm should therefore be associated
with superior running economy. This prediction was confirmed experimentally in
a group of 15 highly trained runners. The moment arm of the Achilles tendon
was determined from standardized photographs of the ankle, using the position
of anatomical landmarks. Running economy was measured as the rate of metabolic
energy consumption during level treadmill running at a speed of 16 km
h –1 . A strong correlation was found between the moment arm of
the Achilles tendon and running economy. Smaller muscle moment arms correlated
with lower rates of metabolic energy consumption ( r 2 =0.75,
P
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