Wireless tri-axial trunk accelerometry detects deviations in dynamic center of mass motion due to running-induced fatigue
Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Public Library of Science
Abstract
Small wireless trunk accelerometers have become a popular approach to unobtrusively
quantify human locomotion and provide insights into both gait rehabilitation and sports performance.
However, limited evidence exists as to which trunk accelerometry measures are
suitable for the purpose of detecting movement compensations while running, and specifically
in response to fatigue. The aim of this study was therefore to detect deviations in the
dynamic center of mass (CoM) motion due to running-induced fatigue using tri-axial trunk
accelerometry. Twenty runners aged 18–25 years completed an indoor treadmill running
protocol to volitional exhaustion at speeds equivalent to their 3.2 km time trial performance.
The following dependent measures were extracted from tri-axial trunk accelerations of 20
running steps before and after the treadmill fatigue protocol: the tri-axial ratio of acceleration
root mean square (RMS) to the resultant vector RMS, step and stride regularity (autocorrelation
procedure), and sample entropy. Running-induced fatigue increased mediolateral
and anteroposterior ratios of acceleration RMS (p < .05), decreased the anteroposterior
step regularity (p < .05), and increased the anteroposterior sample entropy (p < .05) of trunk
accelerometry patterns. Our findings indicate that treadmill running-induced fatigue might
reveal itself in a greater contribution of variability in horizontal plane trunk accelerations,
with anteroposterior trunk accelerations that are less regular from step-to-step and are less
predictable. It appears that trunk accelerometry parameters can be used to detect deviations
in dynamic CoM motion induced by treadmill running fatigue, yet it is unknown how
robust or generalizable these parameters are to outdoor running environments.
Description
CITATION: Venter, R. E., et al. 2015. Wireless tri-axial trunk accelerometry detects deviations in dynamic center of mass motion due to running-induced fatigue. PLoS ONE, 10(10):1-12, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0141957.
The original publication is available at http://journals.plos.org/plosone
The original publication is available at http://journals.plos.org/plosone
Keywords
Tri-axial trunk accelerometry, Human mechanics, Running -- Psysiological aspects, Fatique, Center of mass
Citation
CITATION: Venter, R. E., et al. 2015. Wireless tri-axial trunk accelerometry detects deviations in dynamic center of mass motion due to running-induced fatigue. PLoS ONE, 10(10):1-12, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0141957.