Using Real Time Biofeedback to Alter Running Mechanics

Using Real Time Biofeedback to Alter Running Biomechanics

The purposes of this study are 1) to assess foot strike patterns initially, at six months and at one year between two groups of runners attempting to transition to a non-rearfoot strike pattern (NRFS) with and without the use of biofeedback technology, and 2) to prospectively compare injury incidence rates at one year between NRFS and rearfoot strike (RFS) runners.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Biofeedback Sensor

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 191
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 50 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Between the age of 18 - 50 years
2. Run on average 12mi per week
3. DOD beneficiaries who intend to remain at West Point, NY for the next 12 months at time of study enrollment
4. Read and speak English well enough to provide informed consent and follow study instructions

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Known pregnancy currently or in the previous 6 months
2. Lower extremity or low back pain in the previous 3 months
3. Lower extremity or low back surgery in the previous 6 months
4. Any lower extremity or low back exercise limiting profile
5. Previous stress fracture of the foot
6. Participant who has a non-rearfoot strike running pattern

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control group; Group does not receive the biofeedback sensor
Experimental: Biofeedback group; Group does receive the biofeedback sensor	Device: Biofeedback Sensor; Tibia accelerometer strapped to distal tibia to detect tibial shock

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Foot Strike Pattern From Baseline	Foot strike pattern will be either classified as rearfoot strike or non-rearfoot strike. This is determined by video analysis of 240hz camera. All participants baseline foot strike pattern was rearfoot at study enrollment.	Immediately post-training, 6mo post-training, and 1yr post-training

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Injury Incidence Between Foot Strike Patterns	Percentage of runners that became injured over 1 yr. Injury defined as pain in the lower extremity that caused restriction or stoppage of running for at least one week, or required the runner to consult a physician or other health care professional.	1yr
Relative Risk of Injury	Risk of runner to develop a knee injury based on foot-strike pattern	1yr

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Keller Army Community Hospital
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Jamie B Morris, DPT, Keller Army Community Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: January 1, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 1, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): May 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 25, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 8, 2015
• First Posted (Estimated): July 13, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 2, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 4, 2024
• Last Verified: March 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 404239-2