1School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
2Department of Sports Medicine, Chengdu Sports University, Chengdu, China
3School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
American Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.
2014,
Vol. 2 No. 4, 161-165
DOI: 10.12691/ajssm-2-4-8
Copyright © 2014 Science and Education PublishingCite this paper: Lin Wang, Youlian Hong, Jing Xian Li. Muscular Activity of Lower Extremity Muscles Running on Treadmill Compared with Different Overground Surfaces.
American Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. 2014; 2(4):161-165. doi: 10.12691/ajssm-2-4-8.
Correspondence to: Jing Xian Li, School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada. Email:
jli@uottawa.caAbstract
The objective of this study is to compare the muscular activity of lower extremity muscles while running on treadmill and on overground surfaces. A total of 13 experienced heel-to-toe runners participated in the study. Electromyographic (EMG) data of four lower extremity muscles, including rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, biceps femoris, and gastrocnemius, were collected using the Noraxon EMG system while running on a treadmill and on overground surfaces at a running speed of 3.8 m/s. The obtained data were then analyzed. In this study, throughout the stance phase, the EMG values in the rectus femoris (P<0.01) and the biceps femoris (P<0.05) were higher while running on overground surfaces than those on a treadmill. The EMG values in the rectus femoris (P<0.05) and the biceps femoris (P<0.05) were also higher on concrete than those on grass in the stance phase. Results showed that the muscle activity was significantly different in treadmill running than in overground running. The difference in muscle activity while running on different overground surfaces was also found in this study. Kinematic adjustment of the lower extremity may explain the EMG difference while running on different surfaces.
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