Author:
Chen Shane Fei,Wang Yan,Bing Fangbo,Zhang Ming
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose
Long exhausted running causes pain at the lateral femoral epicondyle for some runners. The pain has been revealed to be related to the behavior of the iliotibial band (ITB) during running. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of in-series musculature on the behavior of the ITB in healthy participants during an exhaustive run.
Methods
Twenty-five healthy participants (15 males, 10 females) were recruited in the current study. All participants performed a 30-minute exhaustive run at a self-selected speed with laboratory-provided footwear. Muscle activities of ITB-related muscles including tensor fascia latae (TFL), gluteus maximus (Gmax), gluteus medius (Gmed), biceps femoris (BF), and vastus lateralis (VL) were recorded using surface electromyography (EMG).
Results
Maximum amplitudes at the initial stage (the first minute), the mid stage (the 15-minute), and the end stage (the 30-minute) were compared during the exhaustive running. Significant decreases (p < 0.05) were observed in the maximum amplitudes of the TFL, Gmax, Gmed, and BF at the mid (decreased by ~ 15%) and end (decreased by ~ 30%) stages compared to the initial stage. The onset and the offset remained unaltered during the running (p ≥ 0.05).
Conclusion
The behavior of the healthy ITB might be altered due to the activities of the in-series musculature. Excessive compression forces might be applied to the lateral femoral epicondyle from the ITB to provide stability for the knee joint during an exhaustive run. The findings could provide a basic understanding of the behavior of healthy ITB.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
General Research Funds granted by the Hong Kong Research Grant Council
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Rehabilitation,Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation,Orthopedics and Sports Medicine