Force-, EMG-, and elasticity-velocity relationships at submaximal, maximal and supramaximal running speeds in sprinters

The relationships between ground reaction forces, electromyographic activity (EMG), elasticity and running velocity were investigated at five speeds from submaximal to supramaximal levels in 11 male and 8 female sprinters. Supramaximal running was performed by a towing system. Reaction forces were measured on a force platform. EMGs were recorded telemetrically with surface electrodes from the vastus lateralis and gastrocnemius muscles, and elasticity of the contact leg was evaluated with spring constant values measured by film analysis. Data showed increases in most of the parameters studied with increasing running speed. At supramaximal velocity (10.36 +/- 0.31 m X s-1; 108.4 +/- 3.8%) the relative increase in running velocity correlated significantly (P less than 0.01) with the relative increase in stride rate of all subjects. In male subjects the relative change in stride rate correlated with the relative change of IEMG in the eccentric phase (P less than 0.05) between maximal and supramaximal runs. Running with the towing system caused a decrease in elasticity during the impact phase but this was significant (P less than 0.05) only in the female sprinters. The average net resultant force in the eccentric and concentric phases correlated significantly (P less than 0.05-0.001) with running velocity and stride length in the maximal run. It is concluded that increased neural activation in supramaximal effort positively affects stride rate and that average net resultant force as a specific force indicator is primarily related to stride length and that the values in this indicator may explain the difference in running velocity between men and women.