Do Simple Running Technique Changes Reduce Pain and Change Injury Causing Mechanics in Runners With Common Running Related Injuries?
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- University of Salford
- Enrollment
- 12
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- anterior knee pain scale
Study Overview
Brief Summary
This project aims to investigate whether an increase in step rate can be used to reduce pain and injury causing movement patterns in runners who are currently experiencing achilles tendonopathy, iliotibial band syndrome, patellofemoral pain syndrome and medial tibial stress syndrome.
Many injuries have been reported to share similar injury causing movement patterns. For example iliotibial band syndrome and patellofemoral pain syndrome have been reported to be caused by increased side to side drop of the pelvis and inward movement of the hip.
Gait retraining is a method of changing the way people run in order to change movement patterns.Increasing step rate may present a gait retraining method that does not pose further injury risks and can be used across multiple different injury populations. Studies have shown increasing step rate can reduce frontal plane movement patterns at the pelvis, hip and foot as well as reducing sagittal plane joint angles such as ankle dorsiflexion. Based on the changes in movement patterns increasing step rate has been recommended as an intervention for the treatment of patellofemoral pain syndrome, medial tibial stress syndrome, iliotibial band syndrome and achilles tendonopathy. Therefore this study aims to investigate whether an increase in step rate can reduce pain and change injury causing mechanics in runners currently running with patellofemoral pain syndrome, iliotibial band syndrome, medial tibial stress syndrome or achilles tendinopathy.
The aim of the project is to use a simple gait intervention, increasing step rate to investigate if this technique change can reduce pain immediately, at short term follow up and long term follow up. The project will also look at whether an increased step rate can be maintained at follow up and whether this changes movement patterns proposed to be the cause of injury.
Runners will be recruited from local running clubs and competitions using poster advertisement at running clubs and emailed to running clubs
Detailed Description
All data will be collected at the university of Salford podiatry clinic gait laboratory. Participants will be recruited from running clubs and races via poster advertisement sent via email to the running club and on advertisement at the club. Also participants presenting at the running performance clinic with patellofemoral pain syndrome, iliotibial band syndrome, medial tibial stress syndrome and achilles tendonopathy will be invited to take part in the research study investigating the effects of gait retraining on injury. Participants who agree to take part will be sent an email confirming their appointment along with an information sheet detailing the study which they are encouraged to read before attending the appointment. They will have contact details of the lead researcher should they wish to ask any further questions
The objectives above will be addressed via the following data collection procedure:
On arriving at the running clinic participants will be informed that the gait retraining intervention aims to reduce pain when running and that there is a risk that the retraining protocol will not affect their pain. If there are no improvements to symptoms following gait retraining they will be then directed to the appropriate medical service for further management. Participants will be informed as to the procedures and given the chance to read through an information sheet again detailing the procedures involve. If on reading the information sheet participants do not wish to take part they can terminate the appointment at any time. Before data collection begins participants will sign a consent form, a running history form and a health screening questionnaire will be completed by a qualified physiotherapist in order to assess the patients suitability to complete the assessment with no further risk to their health.
Procedures:
Participants will attend two visits 4 weeks apart. The first visit will consist of an initial assessment data collection and a retraining session. Detailed below. The second visit will consist of the same procedures in the initial assessment.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Na
- Intervention Model
- Single Group
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to 60 Years (Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •Runners presenting with patellofemoral pain syndrome, iliotibial band syndrome, medial tibial stress syndrome or achilles tendonopathy. Diagnosis to be confirmed via a qualified physiotherapist present at all sessions
- •Currently running at self reported less than normal training volume
- •Pain reported to onset during running
- •Provide written consent to participate
Exclusion Criteria
- •history of a traumatic onset of injury
- •previous lower limb surgery
- •currently not running due to pain
- •cardiac or respiratory disease
Arms & Interventions
step rate increase
increase in running stride rate by 10%
Intervention: Step rate increase (Other)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
anterior knee pain scale
Time Frame: change from 4 weeks & 3 months
patient reported outcome measure of lower limb pain symptoms
kinematic data (lower limb joint angles during running)
Time Frame: change from immediate, 4 weeks & 3 months
lower limb joint angles during running
lower extremity functional scale
Time Frame: change from 4 weeks & 3 months
patient reported outcome measure of lower limb pain symptoms
medial tibial stress syndrome score
Time Frame: change from 4 weeks & 3 months
patient reported outcome measure of lower limb pain symptoms
numerical rating scale
Time Frame: change from 4 weeks & 3 months
pain rating scale for pain experienced during running
Secondary Outcomes
- questionnaire measure of self reported running distance(change from 4 weeks & 3 months)
Investigators
Christopher Bramah
Principal Investigator
University of Salford