Evaluation of Harmonicity in Running Gait by the Use of Innovative Techniques of Video Analysis

Completed

• Conditions: Injuries
• Interventions: Diagnostic Test: Maximal incremental running test; Diagnostic Test: Metabolic and movement analysis of running; Other: Questionnaires

• Registration Number: NCT04103437
• Lead Sponsor: Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi Onlus

Brief Summary

This study aims to demonstrate the use of a digital video analysis method to evaluate harmonicity of running gait, through an holistic approach.

Furthermore, it explores the association of running gait harmonicity with running velocity and level of training and with running injuries risk .

Detailed Description

Aetiology of running related injuries is reported to be multifactorial but still not fully understood. Factors that impede the understanding of the mechanisms and aetiology of injury are the traditional segmental approach to the analysis of running gait and the lack of prospective studies.

A more holistic approach to analysis of movement could permit a more in depth comprehension of the injured state, trough a changing of point of view. This holistic approach is based on the harmonic nature of running gait.

Despite the everyday use of the term "harmonicity" within sporting domains, methods to measure running gait harmonicity is a theme still vaguely explored.

Traditional methods evaluate the movement quality of the whole body based on the motion analysis of specific segments, that are supposed to sufficiently represent the entire body. The search for a method to analyse harmonicity of cyclic movements with a real holistic approach, is therefore still open.

With these aims, an innovative video analysis method has been proposed, based on the measure of the frequency variation of the pixel brightness in the digital video of a cyclic movement.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2018-10
• Study Start: 2018-11-03
• Study First Submitted: 2018-11-27
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-09-24
• Study First Posted: 2019-09-25
• Primary Completion: 2019-10-03
• Study Completion: 2019-12-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2021-02-23
• Last Update Posted: 2021-02-24

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 112

Inclusion Criteria

• at least one year of running practice
• minimum two day of running/week
• minimum 20 km running/week
• seasonal best on half marathon comprised between 1h20' and 2h00'
• experienced in treadmill running practice
• sport medical certificate

Exclusion Criteria

• have suffered in the last three months of musculoskeletal disease
• regular practice of sport activities different from running
• acute or chronic osteoarticular diseases or, in general, other pathology limiting physical activities
• use of drugs altering physical activity performance (hypnotic, psychoactive, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs e.g.).

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
recreational runners	Maximal incremental running test	Recreational runners (minimum of 2 running session and 20km of total mileage per week), with seasonal best on half-marathon comprised between 1h20' and 2h00'. Age \> 18 and \< 60 years. Free from musculoskeletal injuries from at least three months.
recreational runners	Questionnaires	Recreational runners (minimum of 2 running session and 20km of total mileage per week), with seasonal best on half-marathon comprised between 1h20' and 2h00'. Age \> 18 and \< 60 years. Free from musculoskeletal injuries from at least three months.
recreational runners	Metabolic and movement analysis of running	Recreational runners (minimum of 2 running session and 20km of total mileage per week), with seasonal best on half-marathon comprised between 1h20' and 2h00'. Age \> 18 and \< 60 years. Free from musculoskeletal injuries from at least three months.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Correlation between running related injuries (RRI) and running gait harmonicity	1year	Verify if RRI risk is correlated with measures of harmonicity derived from Graal software (registered during three six minutes running test at low, self-selected, high speed): • Number of pixel of the nine principal frequencies RRI are registered by follow-up questionnaires each month .

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Correlation between running gait harmonicity and spatio-temporal running parameters	1 year	The association of running gait harmonicity measures with contact time, flight time, stride length and cadence will be evaluated at each running velocity.
Correlation between running related injuries (RRI) and running gait harmonicity	1 year	Verify if RRI risk is correlated with measures of harmonicity derived from Graal software (registered during three six minutes running test at low, self-selected, high speed): Signal/noise ratio (ratio between values of the principal frequencies and noise)
Correlation between running gait harmonicity and metabolic parameters	1 year	The association of running gait harmonicity measures with VO2max, ventilation, respiratory exchange ratio and hearth rate.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

IRCCS Don Carlo Gnocchi; 🇮🇹 Florence, Tuscany, Italy