Lower and upper extremity loading in nordic walking in comparison with walking and running.

Nordic walking (NW) was compared with walking (W) and running (R) with respect to upper and lower limb injury risks. 24 NW-instructors performed W, NW, and R trials on a runway covered with artificial turf at controlled speeds. Foot pronation and ground reaction forces were measured as well as shock wave transmission to the right wrist. Comparison of NW and W shows similar results for all of the four chosen velocities (5 km/h, 7 km/h, 8 km/h, 8.5 km/h). Except for the 2nd peak of the vertical ground reaction force, NW results in higher loading rates and horizontal forces as well as higher pronation and pronation velocity values as compared with W. Wrist acceleration values up to 7.6 times gravitational acceleration were recorded in NW. Compared with R at the same speeds (8 km/h and 8.5 km/h), NW can be recommended as low impact sport with 36% lower loading rates and 59% lower pronation velocities. However, the high wrist accelerations in NW reveal that the upper extremities are exposed to considerable repetitive shocks, which may cause overuse injuries of the upper extremities. Thus, additional preventive exercises for the upper limb muscles are recommended as well as using shock absorbing walking poles.

[1]  The relationship of abnormal pronation to chondromalacia of the patella in distance runners. , 1979 .

[2]  Heiko K. Strüder,et al.  Physiological responses to nordic walking, walking and jogging , 2006, European Journal of Applied Physiology.

[3]  Nirschl Rp.  Elbow Tendinosis/Tennis Elbow , 1992 .

[4]  Kurt Manal,et al.  A comparison of three-dimensional lower extremity kinematics during running between excessive pronators and normals. , 1998, Clinical biomechanics.

[5]  Marcus G Pandy,et al.  Contributions of muscles, ligaments, and the ground‐reaction force to tibiofemoral joint loading during normal gait , 2006, Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society.

[6]  I. McClay,et al.  The evolution of the study of the mechanics of running. Relationship to injury. , 2000, Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association.

[7]  A. Franz,et al.  Experimental comparison of the knee joint loading during nordic walking and walking , 2006 .

[8]  M. Lafortune,et al.  Use of Ground Reaction Force Parameters in Predicting Peak Tibial Accelerations in Running. , 1993, Journal of applied biomechanics.

[9]  Jukka T. Vtasalo,et al.  Some biomechanical aspects of the foot and ankle in athletes with and without shin splints , 1983, The American journal of sports medicine.

[10]  Siriporn Sasimontonkul,et al.  Bone contact forces on the distal tibia during the stance phase of running. , 2007, Journal of biomechanics.

[11]  H. Schwameder,et al.  Knee joint forces during downhill walking with hiking poles. , 1999, Journal of sports sciences.

[12]  Gerald Smith,et al.  Energy Expenditure and Comfort During Nordic Walking With Different Pole Lengths , 2009, Journal of strength and conditioning research.

[13]  P. Hume,et al.  Evaluation of lower extremity overuse injury potential in runners. , 2000, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[14]  Tine Marieke Willems,et al.  Gait related risk factors for exercise-related lower leg pain during shod running , 2005, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[15]  Alex Burdorf,et al.  Associations between work-related factors and the carpal tunnel syndrome--a systematic review. , 2009, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[16]  Ewald M Hennig,et al.  Influence of Racket Properties on Injuries and Performance in Tennis , 2007, Exercise and sport sciences reviews.

[17]  F. Kleindienst,et al.  Vergleich von kinematischen und kinetischen Parametern zwischen den Bewegungsformen Nordic Walking, Walking und Laufen , 2006 .

[18]  T. Horstmann,et al.  What are causes and treatment strategies for patellar-tendinopathy in female runners? , 2008, Journal of biomechanics.

[19]  C. Reinschmidt,et al.  The movement of the heel within a running shoe. , 1992, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[20]  K. Knobloch,et al.  Nordic Walking Verletzungen - Der Nordic-Walking-Daumen als neue Verletzungsentität , 2006 .

[21]  J. Boucher,et al.  Practice effects on the timing and magnitude of antagonist activity during ballistic elbow flexion to a target. , 1998, Research quarterly for exercise and sport.

[22]  E M Hennig,et al.  Transfer of tennis racket vibrations onto the human forearm. , 1992, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[23]  T. Church,et al.  Field Testing of Physiological Responses Associated with Nordic Walking , 2002, Research quarterly for exercise and sport.

[24]  A. Thorstensson,et al.  Ground reaction forces at different speeds of human walking and running. , 1989, Acta physiologica Scandinavica.

[25]  M. Henriksen,et al.  Nordic Walking does not reduce the loading of the knee joint , 2008, Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports.

[26]  Ronald B. Orr,et al.  Effect of prolonged walking on concrete on the knees of sheep. , 1982, Journal of biomechanics.

[27]  E M Hennig,et al.  Measurements of rearfoot motion during running. , 2000, Sportverletzung Sportschaden : Organ der Gesellschaft fur Orthopadisch-Traumatologische Sportmedizin.

[28]  M. Lafortune,et al.  Transfer function between tibial acceleration and ground reaction force. , 1995, Journal of biomechanics.

[29]  J. Porcari,et al.  The physiological responses to walking with and without Power Poles on treadmill exercise. , 1997, Research quarterly for exercise and sport.

[30]  Howard Brody,et al.  Models of Tennis Racket Impacts , 1987 .