Effect of Stride Length Variation on Oxygen Uptake during Level and Positive Grade Treadmill Running

Abstract

Abstract Sixteen men were studied during 6-min bouts of motorized treadmill running at 230 m · min–1 and 0% and 4% grade to compare [Vdot]O2 while using freely chosen stride lengths (CSL) and stride lengths approximately 8% shorter (SSL) and longer (LSL) than CSL. The study also attempted to determine whether stride length variations of these proportions altered [Vdot]O2 differently at the two grades. CSL were greater (p<.05) at 0% than 4% with mean values of 133.5 and 131.5 cm, respectively. Two-way ANOVA (Stride x Grade) with repeated measures yielded significant F values (p<.05) for the main effects of both stride length and grade but not for interaction between the two factors. Mean [Vdot]O2 values were 44.95 and 56.80 ml · kg1 · min–1 at 0% and 4% grade, respectively. The Tukey w procedure was used for comparing the main effect means across both grades for the three stride lengths. These means were 50.94, 49.88, and 51.80 ml · kg1 · min–1 for SSL, CSL, and LSL, respectively, with the CSL mean significantly less than the SSL and LSL means (p<.05). Stride length variations of approximately ±8% did not alter [Vdot]O2 differently at the two grades, and although [Vdot]O2 for SSL and LSL was not different, [Vdot]O2 was significantly (p<.05) increased by 2.1% for SSL and 3.8% for LSL. Not all individual patterns followed the group norm, however, in that three subjects were more economical with short stride lengths and two were more economical with longer strides.