Changes in running gait due to fatigue: examining the role of multiple runs and exposure to heat
Arashdeep Aulakh
Undergraduate Researcher
Biology Major (College of Arts & Sciences)
Avery Refka
Undergraduate Researcher
Human Biology Major (College of Arts & Sciences)
Allison Gruber
Faculty Mentor
Allison Gruber (School of Public Health)
Project Description
The biomechanics and mechanisms of overuse musculoskeletal injuries experienced by runners have been investigated for over 40 years but the risk of developing these injuries remains high. The chance of experiencing a running related injury is like flipping a coin – approximately 50% of runners will experience at least one injury per year. Many gait (i.e. running form) and training risk factors for running injuries have been investigated, including running mileage, skeletal malalignment, and the loading to the body that occurs every time the foot makes contact with the ground. One hypothesis is that changes in gait occurring with fatigue maladaptively load the musculoskeletal tissues and eventually lead to overuse running injuries. However, studies testing this hypothesis typically expose runners to a single bout of running that more strenuous exercise intensities or durations than they would typically perform. Furthermore, nearly all running gait studies are completed under comfortable environmental conditions in the lab, so it is unknown how exposure to heat may exacerbate the changes in gait due to fatigue. The IU Biomechanics Laboratory is currently working with an industry partner to complete two studies 1) the influence of consecutive days of running on gait, and 2) how exposure to heat may accelerate changes in gait that occur during a typical run. This research involves in-lab measurement of gait using 3D-Motion Capture and measuring gait in the environmental chamber housed in the School of Public Health. Additionally, CeWIT-REUW students may have the opportunity to assist with additional aims for this research partnership including examining habitual movement path out of the lab with commercial wearable technology (activity monitors, foot pods, GPS, and inertial measurement units or “IMU’s”). Your role as a CeWIT-REUW research assistant will be to assist with collecting and analyzing data collected for these studies.
Technology or Computational Component
The student mentee will assist with three-dimensional motion capture and wearable device data collection and processing. The three-dimensional motion capture system in the IU Integrative Kinesiology Laboratory is the same technology used to create animations of real people for video games and movie characters such as into movies like Groot and Rocket from Guardians of the Galaxy. The student mentee would also assist in using software programs that build models of the human body based on an individual’s measured motion capture data and organize wearable device data for analysis by the lab’s custom written software (e.g. MATLAB, Python). These technologies are essential for anyone wishing to pursue careers in clinical gait and movement analysis, biomedical engineering, ergonomics, sports equipment and design, sports performance, sport data science, motor vehicle safety and many other fields within biomechanics and across sport and health related disciplines.