COVID-19 affects the running gait

NewsBot · Nov 7, 2021

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Recreational runners who recovered from COVID-19 show different running kinetics and muscle activities compared with healthy controls
Amir AliJafarnezhadgero et al
Gait & Posture 6 November 2021

•COVID-19 individuals showed greater peak vertical GRFs during the heel contact.
•COVID-19 individuals showed greater peak mediolateral GRFs during push-off.
•COVID group exhibited a shorter time to reach peak of vertical GRFs at heel contact.
•COVID-19 individuals had lower vastus medialis activity during early stance phase.
•COVID-19 individuals experienced lower higher Glut-M activities in the late stance.
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Background
Social isolation through quarantine represents an effective means to prevent COVID-19 infection. A negative side-effect of quarantine is low physical activity.

Research question
What are the differences of running kinetics and muscle activities of recreational runners with a history of COVID-19 versus healthy controls?

Methods
Forty men and women aged 20-30 years participated in this study and were divided into two experimental groups. Group 1 (age: 24.1±2.9) consisted of participants with a history of COVID-19 (COVID group) and group 2 (age: 24.2±2.7) of healthy age and sex-matched controls (controls). Both groups were tested for their running kinetics using a force plate and electromyographic activities (i.e., tibialis anterior [TA], gastrocnemius medialis [Gas-M], biceps femoris [BF], semitendinosus [ST], vastus lateralis [VL], vastus medialis [VM], rectus femoris [RF], gluteus medius [Glut-M]).

Results
Results demonstrated higher peak vertical (p=0.029; d=0.788) and medial (p=0.004; d=1.119) ground reaction forces (GRFs) during push-off in COVID individuals compared with controls. Moreover, higher peak lateral GRFs were found during heel contact (p=0.001; d=1.536) in the COVID group. COVID-19 individuals showed a shorter time-to-reach the peak vertical (p=0.001; d=3.779) and posterior GRFs (p=0.005; d=1.099) during heel contact. Moreover, the COVID group showed higher Gas-M (p=0.007; d=1.109) and lower VM activity (p=0.026; d=0.811) at heel contact.

Significance
Different running kinetics and muscle activities were found in COVID-19 individuals versus healthy controls. Therefore, practitioners and therapists are advised to implement balance and/or strength training to improve lower limbs alignment and mediolateral control during dynamic movements in runners who recovered from COVID-19.
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NewsBot · Nov 7, 2021

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Individuals with a COVID-19 History Exhibit Asymmetric Gait Patterns Despite Full Recovery
HilalKeklicek et al
Journal of Biomechanics 15 April 2022, 111098

COVID-19 is a multisystem infectious disease affecting the body systems. Its neurologic complications include -but are not limited to headache, loss of smell, encephalitis, and cerebrovascular accidents. Even though gait analysis is an objective measure of the neuro-motor system and may provide significant information about the pathophysiology of specific diseases, no studies have investigated the gait characteristics in adults after full recovery from COVID-19. This was a cross-sectional, controlled study that included 12 individuals (mean age, 23.0±4.1 years) with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 history (COVD) and 20 sedentary controls (CONT; mean age, 24.0±3.6 years). Gait was evaluated using inertial sensors on a motorized treadmill. Spatial-temporal gait parameters and gait symmetry were calculated by using at least 512 consecutive steps for each participant. The effect-size analyses were utilized to interpret the impact of the results. Spatial-temporal gait characteristics were comparable between the two groups. The COVD group showed more asymmetrical gait patterns than the CONT group in the double support duration symmetry (p=0.042), single support duration symmetry (p=0.006), loading response duration symmetry (p=0.042), and pre-swing duration symmetry (p=0.018). The effect size analyses of the differences showed large effects (d=0.68-0.831). Individuals with a history of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 showed more asymmetrical gait patterns than individuals without a disease history. Regardless of its severity, the multifaceted long-term effects of COVID-19 need to be examined and the scope of clinical follow-up should be detailed.
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