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Background: The literature on the running kinematics of youth distance runners is limited. Purpose: We sought to describe 2-dimensional (2D) video analysis of running kinematics in healthy adolescent distance runners, which has not been previously described. Methods: We conducted an observational study of healthy, competitive runners between the ages of 14 and 18 years, prospectively recruited through local running clubs and our hospital's outreach between August 2019 and July 2023. Participants ran on a treadmill at a self-selected speed with markers attached to the thorax, pelvis, and lower extremities. A high-definition video camera recorded the runners in the sagittal and frontal planes. Kinematic measurements were completed using Dartfish software and reported as means and standard deviations. Results: Of the 53 participants (51% boys, mean age: 16.0 ± 1.4 years) included in the 2D running analysis, 91% ran with a rearfoot strike pattern, with a mean foot inclination angle of 10.2° ± 6.2°. Knee flexion angle at initial contact was 13.2° ± 3.8°, tibia inclination angle was 8.5° ± 3.2°, and peak knee flexion was 44.5° ± 3.6°. Cadence was 168.7° ± 8.6°. Contralateral pelvic drop was 6.0° ± 2.2° and peak rearfoot eversion was 11.8° ± 3.6°. Conclusions: This study is the first to describe running kinematics as captured by 2D video in healthy adolescent runners and to identify kinematic variables that may differ from those of adult runners. Further research is required to determine if adult recommendations are applicable to adolescent populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is a common musculoskeletal injury among runners. Eccentric exercises are considered first-line treatment. However, during the early stages of rehabilitation, patients are usually instructed to stop running. Backward running (BR) on a negative slope provides a similar eccentric load while enabling ongoing physical activity; thus, it may be suggested as an alternative treatment. Objectives: To determine the feasibility of a BR program as a treatment option for AT in runners. Design: Prospective, single-arm feasibility study. Setting: Outpatient clinic. Patients: Recreational runners diagnosed with AT and referred to the Meuhedet Health Services Physical Therapy Clinic in Jerusalem, Israel, from September 2019 to February 2020. Intervention: The patients completed a 5-week (9 sessions) rehabilitation program of supervised BR on a negatively inclined treadmill. Main Outcome Measures: Compliance with the program was evaluated by calculating the percentage of patients who completed the full protocol with no adverse events. Personal running-related goals were set before the program and were assessed following rehabilitation using the goal attainment scaling method. Forward-running time until the onset of relevant Achilles tendon pain, and the Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment Scale-Achilles were measured at baseline (T0), before treatment session 6 (T1), and after the last session (T2). Results: Among the 15 patients recruited, 14 (93%), average age 48.8 (10.4) years (86% males), completed the full protocol with no adverse events. Almost all participants (85.7%) achieved their running-related functional goals. Postintervention, the median forward-running time increased from 52.5 (92.5) to 900 (522.5) seconds (P =.008, effect size =.858), and the median Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment Scale-Achilles score improved by 28 points (P =.003, effect size =.881). Conclusions: BR on a negative slope may be a feasible treatment method for runners suffering from AT. Future randomized control trials are required to further validate the efficacy of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The literature on the reliability of qualitative and quantitative measures for running video analysis in the adolescent population is limited. Reliability of 2-dimensional (2D) video analysis has been reported in adult runners, but these findings may not apply to youth runners., Purpose: We sought to determine the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of sagittal and frontal plane kinematics using 2D video analysis in healthy adolescent runners., Methods: High-definition (1080p) videos were recorded of 10 healthy runners between 14 and 18 years old running on a treadmill at self-selected speed with markers attached to the cervical spine, pelvis, and lower extremities. Kinematic variables in the sagittal and frontal planes were measured using Dartfish Motion Analysis Software by 3 raters (2 sports medicine physical therapists and a research assistant). Intra- and inter-rater reliability were calculated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs)., Results: Of the 10 runners, 4 (40%) were male and the mean age was 16 ± 1.5 years. The intra-rater ICC for all kinematic variables ranged from 0.574 to 0.999 for the experienced physical therapist, and 0.367 to 0.973 for the inexperienced research assistant. The inter-rater ICC for all raters ranged from -0.01 to 0.941. Eleven kinematic variables showed substantial agreement and 4 showed almost perfect agreement. Step width and foot progression showed fair and poor agreement, respectively., Conclusions: Running analysis using 2D video can be performed reliably in adolescents on all kinematic variables except for step width and foot progression. Inexperienced raters can be properly trained in the video analysis of running kinematics to consistently assess the same runner., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Yukiko Matsuzaki, PT, DPT, OCS, SCS, Madison R. Heath, BS, Julianne M. Khan, PT, DPT, SCS, Alexandra T. Mackie, PB-BS, BA, and Elad Spitzer, MD, declare no potential conflicts of interest. Peter D. Fabricant, MD, MPH, reports relationships with Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine Society, and Research in Osteochondritis of the Knee (ROCK)., (© The Author(s) 2022.)