| Difference in Step Count Between Individuals with Shin Splints and Healthy Controls During Walking and Running |
| Paper ID : 1244-SPORTCONGRESS (R1) |
| Authors |
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Abolfazl Mirzadeh Moghaddam1, Nahid Khoshraftar Yazdi *1, Elham Hakkak Dokht1, Mohsen Damavandi2, Omid Shahani3 1Department of Sports Injuries and Corrective exercise, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran. 2Faculty of Sport Sciences, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran 3Department of sport Injuries and corrective exercise, Faculty of physical education and sports sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran. |
| Abstract |
| Introduction: Overuse injuries are most common in long-distance endurance sports such as track and field, cycling, and swimming. About 10% of overuse injuries occur in the lower leg, including periostitis, stress fractures, and chronic compartment syndrome (Almekinders & Engle, 2019). The objective of this study was to examine the alterations in step counts during walking and running attributable to shin splints, relative to healthy individuals. Methods: Twenty-four physical education students aged 19 to 24 years were selected and divided into two groups: with shin splints and without shin splints (n = 12 per group). Participants walked and ran on a German-made Techno Gym treadmill, and their step count was determined from the time of heel contact of one foot to the next heel contact of the same foot (Craig, 2008). The walking speed on the treadmill was set at 3 km/h, and the running speed was set at 8 km/h. Data were collected using a German-made motion video recorder (Analysis Motion) and analyzed with an independent samples t-test at a significance level of α = 0.05. Results: The assessments indicated that the number of steps taken during walking was 91±21 for individuals with shin splints and 101±12 for healthy controls, with no significant difference between groups (p = 0.33). During running, the step counts were 149±25.3 for individuals with shin splints and 148±20.5 for healthy controls, with no significant group difference observed (p = 0.95). Conclusion: Overall, shin splints did not appear to affect locomotor cadence under the tested conditions, suggesting other factors may play a larger role in persistent symptoms or gait adaptations. |
| Keywords |
| Running, Gait, Shin Splints, Walking |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
