Flat versus Simulated Mountain Trail Running: A Multidisciplinary Comparison in Well-Trained Runners

Kristina Skroce, Simone Bettega (), Samuel D’Emanuele, Gennaro Boccia, Federico Schena and Cantor Tarperi
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Kristina Skroce: Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Simone Bettega: Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37131 Verona, Italy
Samuel D’Emanuele: Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37131 Verona, Italy
Gennaro Boccia: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy
Federico Schena: Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37131 Verona, Italy
Cantor Tarperi: Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37131 Verona, Italy

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 6, 1-12

Abstract: This paper compares cardiopulmonary and neuromuscular parameters across three running aerobic speeds in two conditions that differed from a treadmill’s movement: flat condition (FC) and unpredictable roll variations similar to mountain trail running (URV). Twenty well-trained male runners (age 33 ± 8 years, body mass 70.3 ± 6.4 kg, height 1.77 ± 0.06 m, V ˙ O 2 max 63.8 ± 7.2 mL·kg −1 ·min −1 ) voluntarily participated in the study. Laboratory sessions consisted of a cardiopulmonary incremental ramp test (IRT) and two experimental protocols. Cardiopulmonary parameters, plasma lactate (BLa − ), cadence, ground contact time (GT) and RPE values were assessed. We also recorded surface electromyographic (sEMG) signals from eight lower limb muscles, and we calculated, from the sEMG envelope, the amplitude and width of peak muscle activation for each step. Cardiopulmonary parameters were not significantly different between conditions ( V ˙ O 2 : p = 0.104; BLa − : p = 0.214; HR: p = 0.788). The amplitude ( p = 0.271) and width ( p = 0.057) of sEMG activation peaks did not change between conditions. The variability of sEMG was significantly affected by conditions; indeed, the coefficient of variation in peak amplitude ( p = 0.003) and peak width ( p < 0.001) was higher in URV than in FC. Since the specific physical demands of running can differ between surfaces, coaches should resort to the use of non-traditional surfaces, emphasizing specific surface-related motor tasks that are normally observed in natural running environments. Seeing that the variability of muscle activations was affected, further studies are required to better understand the physiological effects induced by systematic surface-specific training and to define how variable-surface activities help injury prevention.

Keywords: energy expenditure; running; endurance training; electromyography (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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