Author(s): HARUTO, A., TADASHI, S., MASAFUMI, T., YUKI, K., KEISHI, K., TADAO, I., Institution: RITSUMEIKAN UNIVERSITY, Country: JAPAN, Abstract-ID: 985

INTRODUCTION:
Foot strike patterns during running in long-distance runners have typically been classified into three patterns based on sagittal foot positionings at the initial contact and are related to their running performance [1]. In contrast, few studies have explored the usage trends of foot strike patterns in sprinters because most sprinters employ the forefoot strike pattern. To the best of our knowledge, no study has investigated the classification of forefoot strike patterns in sprinters. Utilizing the forefoot strike pattern classification may provide insights into understanding of how sprint performance varies among sprinters. Therefore, in this field study, we examined the usage trends of forefoot strike patterns based on sagittal foot motion during the stance phase of a 100-m sprint in male sprinters and explored their associations with 100-m sprint performance.
METHODS:
Sagittal videos were recorded for 296 male sprinters who completed a 100-m sprint race during a track and field event, using high-speed cameras positioned at points corresponding to the acceleration (31.14 m) and maximum sprint phases (60.00 m). Out of these, 248 sprinters exhibiting the forefoot strike pattern and achieving a corrected 100-m sprint time (as desecribed below) of less than 12.00 seconds were included in the analyses of this study. The sagittal forefoot strike patterns were classified into the heel contact (HC) and non-heel contact strikes (NHC). HC was defined as a pattern in which the heel contacted the ground during the stance phase, whereas in NHC, it did not contact the ground. The corrected 100-m sprint time was computed by adjusting the official 100-m sprint time for the effect of wind speed and direction [2]. An unpaired t-test was used to compare the corrected 100-m sprint times between the two groups.
RESULTS:
The usage rates during the acceleration phase were comparable between HC and NHC (48.0 and 52.0%, respectively). In contrast, during the maximum sprint phase, the rate was 2.2-fold higher for HC than for NHC (68.1 vs. 31.9%, respectively). When classified during the maximum sprint phase, the corrected 100-m sprint time was significantly faster in NHC group than in the HC group (P = 0.030); however, this difference was not observed during the acceleration phase.
CONCLUSION:
We found that classifying forefoot strike patterns based on sagittal foot motion during the stance phase into two patterns may be associated with the 100-m sprint time in male sprinters. Therefore, we propose that sagittal forefoot strike patterns could be an important biomechanical factor contributing to superior 100-m sprint performance in sprinters.
REFERENCES:
[1] Bovalino SP, Kingsley MIC. Foot Strike Patterns During Overground Distance Running: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med Open. 2021;7(1):82.
[2] Moinat M, Fabius O, Emanuel KS. Data-driven quantification of the effect of wind on athletics performance. Eur J Sport Sci. 2018;18(9):1185-1190.