Validity and Reliability of an Instrumented Treadmill with an Accelerometry System for Assessment of Spatio-Temporal Parameters and Impact Transmission.

Alberto Encarnación-Martínez,Rafael Berenguer-Vidal,Pedro Pérez-Soriano,Antonio García-Gallart,Roberto Sanchis-Sanchis

doi:10.3390/s21051758

Abstract

Running retraining programs focused on concurrent feedback of acceleration impacts have been demonstrated to be a good strategy to reduce running-related injuries (RRI), as well as to improve running economy and reduce acceleration impacts and injury running incidence. Traditionally, impacts have been registered by mean of accelerometers attached directly to the athletes, which is inaccessible to the entire population, because it requires laboratory conditions. This study investigated the validity and reliability of a new device integrated directly into the treadmill, compared to a traditional acceleration impact system. Thirty healthy athletes with no history of RRI were tested on two separate days over the instrumented treadmill (AccTrea) and simultaneously with an acceleration impact system attached to the participant (AccAthl). AccTrea was demonstrated to be a valid and reliable tool for measuring spatio-temporal parameters like step length (validity intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.94; reliability ICC = 0.92), step time (validity ICC = 0.95; reliability ICC = 0.96), and step frequency (validity ICC = 0.95; reliability ICC = 0.96) during running. Peak acceleration impact variables showed a high reliability for the left (reliability ICC = 0.88) and right leg (reliability ICC = 0.85), and peak impact asymmetry showed a modest validity (ICC = 0.55). These results indicated that the AccTrea system is a valid and reliable way to assess spatio-temporal variables, and a reliable tool for measuring acceleration impacts during running.

Highlights

Running is one of the most popular recreational activities [1,2,3]
These kinematics modifications favor the reduction in impact acceleration magnitude [13,17], axial compression strains in tibia [18], and plantar load [13,49] in comparison with overground running
The spatio-temporal variables analyzed in our study have shown intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC > 0.946) close to those obtained by Ogueta-Alday, Morante, RodríguezMarroyo, and García-López [50] when they validated a new method to measure contact time and flight time during treadmill running (SportJump System Pro, V2.0., León, Spain)

Summary

Introduction

Running is one of the most popular recreational activities [1,2,3]. Against the numerous benefits of running, injuries in this activity have a high incidence as almost half of runners are injured every year [1]. The annual incidence of lower-limbs injuries ranges from 19.4% to 79.3% [1], or even 92.4% [2] in long-distance runners. Most injuries are caused by the overuse of certain structures, [1,2,4]. The knee is the most common place of injury [2,4], ranging from 7.2% to 50% [2]. Injuries can lead to a temporary or permanent interruption of exercise and even inability to work, leading to the need for medical treatment, where direct costs may exceed 1300 € [5]

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