Background Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is the most common overuse injury in distance runners. A pilot investigation found that runners with a history of PFPS exhibited increased rear-foot eversion and reduced rear-foot dorsiflexion compared to uninjured controls during level treadmill running [1]. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether these kinematic alterations were a...

The oxygen cost of transport per unit distance (CoT; mL·kg(-1)·km(-1)) shows a U-shaped curve as a function of walking speed (v), which includes a particular walking speed minimizing the CoT, so called economical speed (ES). The CoT-v relationship in running is approximately linear. These distinctive walking and running CoT-v relationships give an intersection between U-shaped and linear CoT re...

Running on a horizontal plane is known to increase the concentration of the stress biomarker heat-shock protein (HSP), but no comparison of the expression of HSP70 has yet been established between the uphill (predominantly concentric) and downhill (predominantly eccentric) muscle contractions exercise. The objective of the study was to investigate the relationships between eccentric and concent...

Abstract Background Anti-gravity treadmills are used to decrease musculoskeletal loading during treadmill running often in return play rehabilitation programs. The effect different gradients (uphill/downhill running) have on kinetics and spatiotemporal parameters when using an AlterG® is unclear with previous research focused level only. Methods Ten well-trained healthy male athletes ran the at...

We examined the length changes and electromyographic (EMG) activity of two hindlimb muscles in wild turkeys, to determine how these muscles modulate mechanical function with changes in running speed and slope. The muscles studied were the iliotibialis lateralis pars postacetabularis (ILPO), a biarticular knee and hip extensor, and the femorotibialis lateralis (FT), a knee extensor. Muscle lengt...