Johnny Padulo, Giuseppe Annino, József Tihanyi, Giuseppe Calcagno, Stefano Vando, Laura Smith, Gianluca Vernillo, Antonio La Torre, Stefano D'Ottavio
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of gradients (0, 2, and 7%) on biomechanical parameters during racewalking (RW) at iso-efficiency speed (IES). During the experiment, 12 high-level athletes performed at IES on different slopes. The parameters studied were surface muscular activity (EMG) of 5 muscles of the leg using Muscle Lab (Boscosystem); kinematic parameters were collected using a high-speed camera (210 Hz) analyzed with Dartfish 5.5Pro; and heart rate (HR) was monitored with a Cardio Polar. The results showed step length (SL), step frequency (SF), and internal work (WINT) decreased with increased treadmill gradient: SL = ([0�2% = 3.48%, p = 0.158], [0�7% = 12.17%, p < 0.001]); SF = ([0�2% = 2.38%, p = 0.173], [0�7% = 6.07%, p < 0.01]); WINT = ([0�2% = 8.34%, p < 0.001], [0�7% = 22.81%, p < 0.0001]). Conversely, contact time (CT) and HR increased less significantly with the increased gradients: CT = ([0�2% = 2.46%, p = 0.198], [0�7% = 6.56%, p < 0.01]); HR = ([0�2% = 0.62%, p = 0.652], [0�7% = 3.25%, p < 0.05]). The knee angle (KE) increased, whereas ankle angle (AK) and hip angle (HP) decreased with the increased gradients: AK = ([0�2% = 1.69%, p < 0.001], [0�7% = 1.13%, p < 0.01]); HP = ([0�2% = 0.22%, p < 0.03], [0�7% = 0.16%, p = 0.456]); KE = ([0�2% = 1.01%, p < 0.001], [0�7% = 1.60%, p < 0.001]). Electromyography (EMG) significantly decreased with the increased gradients in the: tibialis anterior ([0�2% = 22.49%, p < 0.0001], [0�7% = 41.18%, p < 0.0001]) and rectus femoris ([0�2% = 15.35%, p < 0.0001], [0�7% = 29.13%, p< 0.0001]). In contrast, EMG activity was significantly increased in the vastus lateralis ([0�2% = 22.95%, p < 0.0001], [0�7% = 31.15%, p < 0.0001]), gastrocnemius medialis ([0�2% = 21.40%, p < 0.001], [0�7% = 48.37%, p < 0.0001]), and biceps femoris ([0�2% = 190.78%, p < 0.0001], [0�7% = 201.37%, p < 0.0001]). The results indicate that increasing the gradient to 2% did not elicit an increased HR in racewalkers; however, at a 7% gradient, greater muscle activity was required.
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