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

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.

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.).