Reducing Impact Loading in Runners: A One-Year Follow-up

Increased vertical impact loading during running has been associated with a variety of running related injuries including stress fractures, patellofemoral pain, and plantar fasciitis. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the acute and long-term effect of a gait retraining program aimed at teaching runners with high impact loading to run softer. Methods Nineteen runners with high tibial shock (TS) first underwent a control period of eight sessions of treadmill running over 2 wk, progressing from 15 to 30 min. This was followed by eight sessions of gait retraining over 2 wk using the identical treadmill protocol. Real-time feedback of TS was provided as the participant ran. Feedback was gradually removed during the last four sessions. Variables of interest included peak TS, vertical impact peak and vertical average loading rate, and vertical instantaneous loading rate. These variables were assessed at intervals following the retraining and at a 1-yr follow-up. Results All variables of interest were significantly reduced post-retraining (P

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