HIGH LEVELS OF ENDURANCE TRAINING MITIGATE AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN RUNNING BIOMECHANICS – A LONGITUDINAL STUDY

Very few studies to date examined lower body and joint stiffness in ageing endurance runners, the majority cross-sectionally. The present study longitudinally examined age-related changes in leg and joint stiffness regulation in consistently trained master endurance runners, as well as the contribution of individual joints in resisting collapse and generating propulsion. Highly trained master endurance runners (N=10) were studied over a period of seven years whilst maintaining their training regime. Data was collected at mean age 53.54 ± 2.56 and 60.49 ± 2.56 following an identical overground running protocol, using a Kistler force plate and a 12-camera Vicon motion capture system. Following seven years of ageing, leg stiffness was unchanged. The athletes maintained similar magnitudes of joint stiffness and moment at the ankle and the hip whilst knee joint stiffness at amortisation increased by 0.60o-1 (