Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List

Full text release has been delayed at the author's request until August 07, 2025

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Implications of Fatigue and Stability on Neuromuscular Control and Injury Risk in Recreational Runners

Glover, Nelson Alexander

Abstract Details

2022, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Mechanical Engineering.
Running is critical in promoting the public's well-being, but running-related injuries (RRI) often interrupt training regimens. Identifying the risk factors that determine a runner’s likelihood of injury through biomechanical factors has been important to researchers. Despite the breadth of research, there are still many unknown factors that may influence injuries in runners. A deeper understanding of suboptimal conditions and runners’ biomechanical and neuromuscular compensations may help inform intervention strategies to mitigate injuries. Fatigue is a condition that most runners experience during their regular runs that cause deficits in muscle function, but little is known about specific neuromuscular control adaptations in runners. In addition to fatigue, external perturbations commonly experienced in runs can potentially alter the biomechanics and control of runners, and the injury risk of these adaptations is largely unknown. This dissertation aims to assess the injury risk in runners associated with fatigue and destabilizing conditions and characterize the changes in neuromuscular control. Aim 1 evaluated the biomechanical and neuromuscular control compensations resulting from a run to volitional fatigue. This aim demonstrated decreased coactivation of the quadriceps and hamstrings around the knee and ankle and reduced trunk control. Further analysis revealed that the altered trunk control and ankle coactivation during the weight acceptance phase of stance have strong influences on increases in peak vertical instantaneous loading rates, a risk factor for RRI. Changes in running terrain and movement or slipping on running surfaces can occur during a regular run, and the adaptations associated with these acute perturbations were examined in Aim 2. Runners experienced a controlled, acute perturbation while running on the treadmill that simulated slipping and running on sudden changes in terrain. The slipping perturbation created the most significant changes in neuromuscular control, altering the coactivation of the knee and ankle muscles throughout the stance phase. Although there was a change in control strategy, there was no evidence of changes in injury risk factors. Aim 3 extended the analysis of control by examining the changes in local dynamic stability of the runners after experiencing one of the acute perturbations. There was no change in the stability of the participants who experienced the slipping perturbation. Still, there were long-term increases in the stability of the runners experiencing changes in terrain. Aim 4 evaluated a proposed change in global neuromuscular objective while fatigued and tested it through implementation as a cost function in musculoskeletal optimizations. Decreases in coactivation in Aim 1 were interpreted as potential evidence for decreased joint contact loading. Optimizations using a joint loading reduction objective function better estimated muscle activity in fatigued runners. Improvements in musculoskeletal simulations are valuable in quantifying loads that may lead to injury that cannot be quantified otherwise. Findings from this dissertation suggest that significant changes in control occur when running in destabilizing conditions and running with fatigue. Adaptations to fatigue can lead to increased injury risk, influenced by changes in neuromuscular control objectives. Adaptations to acute perturbations can be neuromuscular or characterized by the stability of the running motion.
Ajit Chaudhari (Advisor)
Robert Siston (Committee Member)
Manoj Srinivasan (Committee Member)
Richard Jagacinski (Committee Member)
191 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Glover, N. A. (2022). Implications of Fatigue and Stability on Neuromuscular Control and Injury Risk in Recreational Runners [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1658450017297211

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Glover, Nelson. Implications of Fatigue and Stability on Neuromuscular Control and Injury Risk in Recreational Runners. 2022. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1658450017297211.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Glover, Nelson. "Implications of Fatigue and Stability on Neuromuscular Control and Injury Risk in Recreational Runners." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2022. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1658450017297211

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)