Publications
Impact of Achilles Tendon and Ankle Plantar Flexor Stiffness on the Net Metabolic Cost of Running
Authors: Anh Phong Nguyen 1, 2, Laurent Bosquet 3, Rayan Belaoued 1, Christine Detrembleur 1, Philippe Mahaudens 1, 4, 5
Affiliations:
- Neuromusculoskeletal Lab, Institut de Recherche Experimentale et Clinique, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- The Running Clinic, Lac Beauport, QC, Canada
- Laboratoire MOVE, UFR-STAPS, Universite de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
- Service D’orthopedie et Traumatologie, Clinique Universitaire Saint Luc, Brussels, Belgium
- Service de Medecine Physique, Clinique Universitaire Saint Luc, Brussels, Belgium
Journal: International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance - March 2025, Ahead of Print (DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.2024-0375)
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Field & Applications:
- Sport
- Muscle development / Performance
- Musculoskeletal health
Objectives: This study aimed to report (1) the correlation between net metabolic cost (NMC) of running and Achilles tendon (AT) and ankle plantar flexor passive stiffness and (2) explore the relationship between passive stiffness and key running biomechanics.
Methods: Twenty-two male recreational runners participated in this study. The runners performed a 5-minute run at 50% of their maximal aerobic speed as a warm-up on an instrumented treadmill, followed by a 6-minute run at 65% of their maximal aerobic speed wherein NMC was recorded. Passive stiffness was measured using a myotonometry device both before and after the run.
Results: There was a negative linear relationship between NMC and AT stiffness. NMC and prerun AT stiffness demonstrated a significant negative correlation between leg stiffness and a significant positive correlation with braking peak force and step length. Moreover, we observed an increase in stiffness between prerun and postrun measurements at rest for the AT and both gastrocnemius muscles.
Conclusion: Greater AT stiffness measured at rest is correlated with lower NMC.
Keywords: running biomechanics, running economy, myotonometry
The negative correlation between Achilles tendon stiffness and net metabolic cost of running, along with the association of several biomechanical parameters with both net metabolic cost and Achilles tendon stiffness, highlights the importance of Achilles tendon stiffness in the management of runner performance.