Effect of Running Environment and Slope Gradient on Lower Limb Muscle Activation

Theodoros Roussos; Athanasia Smirniotou; Anastasios Philippou; Antonis Galanos; Ioannis Triantafyllopoulos

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14

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Effect of Running Environment and Slope Gradient on Lower Limb Muscle Activation

Theodoros Roussos, Athanasia Smirniotou, Anastasios Philippou, Antonis Galanos, Ioannis Triantafyllopoulos

Published in American Journal of Sports Science (Volume 7, Issue 1)

Received: 23 February 2019 Accepted: 30 March 2019 Published: 18 April 2019

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess whether the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the lower limb muscles - rectus femoris, vastus medialis, bicep femoris and gastrocnemius - during running is affected by different running environments and varied slope gradients. Data collected from this study would be useful for specific training programs adopted from different style runners. Ten male recreational runners participated in the current study. Each of the ten participants, was assessed in two different running conditions, treadmill running and over-ground running, which was consisted of a 20m distance running at a velocity of 11±1km/h at each of the following slope gradients -8%, -4%, 0%, 4%, 8% - in a randomized order. Findings revealed that when over-ground running EMG activity of the lower limb muscles was 16.54% higher compared to treadmill running. Treadmill running is characterized by reduced metabolic cost, which is related to lower muscle activation requirements. Varied slope gradients found to affect muscle activation. During uphill running, lower limb muscle activation was significantly higher compared to level and downhill running, independently of running environment. However, running at negative slope gradients was associated with significantly greater muscle activation compared to level running, only on the treadmill condition.

Published in	American Journal of Sports Science (Volume 7, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14
Page(s)	20-25
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2019. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Electromyographic Activity, Overground Running, Treadmill Running, Slope Gradient

References

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APA Style

Theodoros Roussos, Athanasia Smirniotou, Anastasios Philippou, Antonis Galanos, Ioannis Triantafyllopoulos. (2019). Effect of Running Environment and Slope Gradient on Lower Limb Muscle Activation. American Journal of Sports Science, 7(1), 20-25. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14

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ACS Style

Theodoros Roussos; Athanasia Smirniotou; Anastasios Philippou; Antonis Galanos; Ioannis Triantafyllopoulos. Effect of Running Environment and Slope Gradient on Lower Limb Muscle Activation. Am. J. Sports Sci. 2019, 7(1), 20-25. doi: 10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14

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AMA Style

Theodoros Roussos, Athanasia Smirniotou, Anastasios Philippou, Antonis Galanos, Ioannis Triantafyllopoulos. Effect of Running Environment and Slope Gradient on Lower Limb Muscle Activation. Am J Sports Sci. 2019;7(1):20-25. doi: 10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14

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@article{10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14,
  author = {Theodoros Roussos and Athanasia Smirniotou and Anastasios Philippou and Antonis Galanos and Ioannis Triantafyllopoulos},
  title = {Effect of Running Environment and Slope Gradient on Lower Limb Muscle Activation},
  journal = {American Journal of Sports Science},
  volume = {7},
  number = {1},
  pages = {20-25},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajss.20190701.14},
  abstract = {The purpose of this study was to assess whether the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the lower limb muscles - rectus femoris, vastus medialis, bicep femoris and gastrocnemius - during running is affected by different running environments and varied slope gradients. Data collected from this study would be useful for specific training programs adopted from different style runners. Ten male recreational runners participated in the current study. Each of the ten participants, was assessed in two different running conditions, treadmill running and over-ground running, which was consisted of a 20m distance running at a velocity of 11±1km/h at each of the following slope gradients -8%, -4%, 0%, 4%, 8% - in a randomized order. Findings revealed that when over-ground running EMG activity of the lower limb muscles was 16.54% higher compared to treadmill running. Treadmill running is characterized by reduced metabolic cost, which is related to lower muscle activation requirements. Varied slope gradients found to affect muscle activation. During uphill running, lower limb muscle activation was significantly higher compared to level and downhill running, independently of running environment. However, running at negative slope gradients was associated with significantly greater muscle activation compared to level running, only on the treadmill condition.},
 year = {2019}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Effect of Running Environment and Slope Gradient on Lower Limb Muscle Activation
AU  - Theodoros Roussos
AU  - Athanasia Smirniotou
AU  - Anastasios Philippou
AU  - Antonis Galanos
AU  - Ioannis Triantafyllopoulos
Y1  - 2019/04/18
PY  - 2019
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14
T2  - American Journal of Sports Science
JF  - American Journal of Sports Science
JO  - American Journal of Sports Science
SP  - 20
EP  - 25
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-8540
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14
AB  - The purpose of this study was to assess whether the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the lower limb muscles - rectus femoris, vastus medialis, bicep femoris and gastrocnemius - during running is affected by different running environments and varied slope gradients. Data collected from this study would be useful for specific training programs adopted from different style runners. Ten male recreational runners participated in the current study. Each of the ten participants, was assessed in two different running conditions, treadmill running and over-ground running, which was consisted of a 20m distance running at a velocity of 11±1km/h at each of the following slope gradients -8%, -4%, 0%, 4%, 8% - in a randomized order. Findings revealed that when over-ground running EMG activity of the lower limb muscles was 16.54% higher compared to treadmill running. Treadmill running is characterized by reduced metabolic cost, which is related to lower muscle activation requirements. Varied slope gradients found to affect muscle activation. During uphill running, lower limb muscle activation was significantly higher compared to level and downhill running, independently of running environment. However, running at negative slope gradients was associated with significantly greater muscle activation compared to level running, only on the treadmill condition.
VL  - 7
IS  - 1
ER  -

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Author Information

Theodoros Roussos

Laboratory for the Research of Musculoskeletal System, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Athanasia Smirniotou

School of Physical Education and Sport Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Anastasios Philippou

Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Antonis Galanos

Laboratory for the Research of Musculoskeletal System, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Ioannis Triantafyllopoulos

Laboratory for the Research of Musculoskeletal System, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

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APA Style

Theodoros Roussos, Athanasia Smirniotou, Anastasios Philippou, Antonis Galanos, Ioannis Triantafyllopoulos. (2019). Effect of Running Environment and Slope Gradient on Lower Limb Muscle Activation. American Journal of Sports Science, 7(1), 20-25. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14

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ACS Style

Theodoros Roussos; Athanasia Smirniotou; Anastasios Philippou; Antonis Galanos; Ioannis Triantafyllopoulos. Effect of Running Environment and Slope Gradient on Lower Limb Muscle Activation. Am. J. Sports Sci. 2019, 7(1), 20-25. doi: 10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14

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AMA Style

Theodoros Roussos, Athanasia Smirniotou, Anastasios Philippou, Antonis Galanos, Ioannis Triantafyllopoulos. Effect of Running Environment and Slope Gradient on Lower Limb Muscle Activation. Am J Sports Sci. 2019;7(1):20-25. doi: 10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14

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@article{10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14,
  author = {Theodoros Roussos and Athanasia Smirniotou and Anastasios Philippou and Antonis Galanos and Ioannis Triantafyllopoulos},
  title = {Effect of Running Environment and Slope Gradient on Lower Limb Muscle Activation},
  journal = {American Journal of Sports Science},
  volume = {7},
  number = {1},
  pages = {20-25},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajss.20190701.14},
  abstract = {The purpose of this study was to assess whether the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the lower limb muscles - rectus femoris, vastus medialis, bicep femoris and gastrocnemius - during running is affected by different running environments and varied slope gradients. Data collected from this study would be useful for specific training programs adopted from different style runners. Ten male recreational runners participated in the current study. Each of the ten participants, was assessed in two different running conditions, treadmill running and over-ground running, which was consisted of a 20m distance running at a velocity of 11±1km/h at each of the following slope gradients -8%, -4%, 0%, 4%, 8% - in a randomized order. Findings revealed that when over-ground running EMG activity of the lower limb muscles was 16.54% higher compared to treadmill running. Treadmill running is characterized by reduced metabolic cost, which is related to lower muscle activation requirements. Varied slope gradients found to affect muscle activation. During uphill running, lower limb muscle activation was significantly higher compared to level and downhill running, independently of running environment. However, running at negative slope gradients was associated with significantly greater muscle activation compared to level running, only on the treadmill condition.},
 year = {2019}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Effect of Running Environment and Slope Gradient on Lower Limb Muscle Activation
AU  - Theodoros Roussos
AU  - Athanasia Smirniotou
AU  - Anastasios Philippou
AU  - Antonis Galanos
AU  - Ioannis Triantafyllopoulos
Y1  - 2019/04/18
PY  - 2019
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14
T2  - American Journal of Sports Science
JF  - American Journal of Sports Science
JO  - American Journal of Sports Science
SP  - 20
EP  - 25
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-8540
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajss.20190701.14
AB  - The purpose of this study was to assess whether the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the lower limb muscles - rectus femoris, vastus medialis, bicep femoris and gastrocnemius - during running is affected by different running environments and varied slope gradients. Data collected from this study would be useful for specific training programs adopted from different style runners. Ten male recreational runners participated in the current study. Each of the ten participants, was assessed in two different running conditions, treadmill running and over-ground running, which was consisted of a 20m distance running at a velocity of 11±1km/h at each of the following slope gradients -8%, -4%, 0%, 4%, 8% - in a randomized order. Findings revealed that when over-ground running EMG activity of the lower limb muscles was 16.54% higher compared to treadmill running. Treadmill running is characterized by reduced metabolic cost, which is related to lower muscle activation requirements. Varied slope gradients found to affect muscle activation. During uphill running, lower limb muscle activation was significantly higher compared to level and downhill running, independently of running environment. However, running at negative slope gradients was associated with significantly greater muscle activation compared to level running, only on the treadmill condition.
VL  - 7
IS  - 1
ER  -

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