Comparison of ankle kinematics and ground reaction forces between prospectively injured and uninjured collegiate cross country runners

Biomechanical comparative studies on running-related injuries have included either currently or retrospectively injured runners. The purpose of this study was to prospectively compare ankle joint and ground reaction force variables between collegiate runners who developed injuries during the cross country season and those who did not. Running gait analyses using a motion capture system and force platform were conducted on 19 collegiate runners prior to the start of their cross country season. Ten runners sustained running-related injuries and 9 remained healthy during the course of the season. Strike index, peak loading rate of the vertical ground reaction force, dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM), eversion ROM, peak eversion angle, peak eversion velocity, and eversion duration from the start of the season were compared between injury groups. Ankle eversion ROM and peak eversion velocity were greater in uninjured runners while peak eversion angle was greater in injured runners. Greater ankle eversion ROM and eversion velocity with lower peak eversion angle may be beneficial in reducing injury risk in collegiate runners. The current data may only be applicable to collegiate cross country runners with similar training and racing schedules and threshold magnitudes of ankle kinematic variables to predict injury risk are still unknown. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.