Which Factors Influence Running Gait in Children and Adolescents? A Narrative Review

Anthony Sudlow, Paul Galantine, Fabrice Vercruyssen, Nicolas Peyrot, Jean-Jacques Raymond and Pascale Duché ()
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Anthony Sudlow: Impact of Physical Activity on Health Research Unit, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Toulon, Campus La Garde, 83160 Toulon, France
Paul Galantine: Impact of Physical Activity on Health Research Unit, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Toulon, Campus La Garde, 83160 Toulon, France
Fabrice Vercruyssen: Impact of Physical Activity on Health Research Unit, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Toulon, Campus La Garde, 83160 Toulon, France
Nicolas Peyrot: Mouvement-Interactions-Performance, MIP, UR 4334, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Le Mans University, 72000 Le Mans, France
Jean-Jacques Raymond: Impact of Physical Activity on Health Research Unit, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Toulon, Campus La Garde, 83160 Toulon, France
Pascale Duché: Impact of Physical Activity on Health Research Unit, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Toulon, Campus La Garde, 83160 Toulon, France

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: In recent years, running has dramatically increased in children and adolescents, creating a need for a better understanding of running gait in this population; however, research on this topic is still limited. During childhood and adolescence multiple factors exist that likely influence and shape a child’s running mechanics and contribute to the high variability in running patterns. The aim of this narrative review was to gather together and assess the current evidence on the different factors that influence running gait throughout youth development. Factors were classified as organismic, environmental, or task-related. Age, body mass and composition, and leg length were the most researched factors, and all evidence was in favour of an impact on running gait. Sex, training, and footwear were also extensively researched; however, whereas the findings concerning footwear were all in support of an impact on running gait, those concerning sex and training were inconsistent. The remaining factors were moderately researched with the exception of strength, perceived exertion, and running history for which evidence was particularly limited. Nevertheless, all were in support of an impact on running gait. Running gait is multifactorial and many of the factors discussed are likely interdependent. Caution should therefore be taken when interpreting the effects of different factors in isolation.

Keywords: biomechanics; running; growth; maturation; children; adolescents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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