PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Too much treadmill? This could help your shin splints

Too much treadmill? This could help your shin splints
2024-07-02
(Press-News.org)

Good news for all the treadmill runners who suffer from stubborn and painful shin splints: A little outdoor gait training may help, new research suggests.

A randomized controlled trial found that four weeks of gait training outdoors, in addition to home exercises often prescribed for shin splints, led to improved running biomechanics even when the runners were using a treadmill. These improvements included decreasing the time the runners’ feet were in contact with the ground or treadmill, a recently identified contributor to shin splints.

Based on the trial results, the researchers, including UVA Health sports medicine expert David J. Hryvniak, DO, are recommending that clinicians begin including outdoor gait training as part of rehabilitation programs for patients struggling with chronic shin splints.

“This is an important finding for clinicians, as this gives us a tool to use to help these runners,” said Hryvniak, a running medicine specialist who is part of UVA Health’s Runner’s Clinic. “These gait-training cues can be an easy thing to add into a rehab program to help patients improve running mechanics that can underlie many common running injuries.”

Soothing Shin Splints

Affecting approximately 40% of all runners, shin splints typically begin as tenderness in the lower leg that goes away after exercising. But for regular runners, this pain can worsen and become persistent. In severe cases, shin splints can even lead to stress fractures.

Prior research has found that short courses of outdoor gait training can significantly reduce shin-splint pain for outdoor runners. But experts had been uncertain if these benefits would transfer to the flat, regular surface of treadmill running. That prompted an interdisciplinary team of researchers – from UVA’s College of Arts & Sciences, School of Education and School of Medicine, as well as Virginia Commonwealth University, Plymouth State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – to launch a randomized trial to find out if outdoor gait training would benefit treadmill users.

The researchers enrolled 17 treadmill runners between ages 18 and 45 who ran at least three times a week and who had been suffering lower leg pain during or after running for at least a month. The volunteers were randomly divided into two groups: One group received four weeks of outdoor gait training and performed commonly prescribed home strengthening exercises, while the other group only performed the home exercises.

During the gait training, participants were provided with “vibrotactile feedback” –meaning they felt a little vibration – when special sensors in their shoes detected their feet were in contact with the ground for too long. This helped them improve their stride and gait to reduce this potential contributor to shin splints.

At the end of the study period, both groups saw strength improvements in their legs. But the gait trainers also had improved running technique, or what the researchers call “favorable adjustments in running gait mechanics.” And, sure enough, these gait improvements were seen during both outdoor runs and treadmill runs.

That suggests outdoor gait training could be an important new tool to help treadmill users work up a sweat pain-free, the researchers say.

“Shin splints are a very common running injury, especially with those who are new to the sport,” Hryvniak said. “These gait cues are something that have been shown to be an effective tool that patients can use literally ‘on the run.’”

Findings Published

The researchers have published their findings in the Journal of Biomechanics. The research team consisted of Alexandra F. DeJong Lempke, Stephanie L. Stephens, Xavier D. Thompson, Joseph M. Hart, Hryvniak, Jordan S. Rodu and Jay Hertel. The authors have no financial interest in the work.

Support for the research was provided by a Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers’ Association graduate student grant, a National Athletic Trainers’ Association doctoral dissertation grant (1920DGP01) and a UVA School of Education and Human Development IDEA grant.

To keep up with the latest medical research news from UVA, subscribe to the Making of Medicine blog at http://makingofmedicine.virginia.edu.

END


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Too much treadmill? This could help your shin splints

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Journal of Participatory Medicine announces new theme issue on Patient and Consumer Use of Artificial Intelligence for Health

Journal of Participatory Medicine announces new theme issue on Patient and Consumer Use of Artificial Intelligence for Health
2024-07-02
(Toronto, July 2, 2024) JMIR Publications invites submissions to a new theme issue titled “Patient and Consumer Use of Artificial Intelligence for Health” in its premier open access journal Journal of Participatory Medicine indexed in PubMed, SCOPUS, Sherpa Romeo, and DOAJ.  This theme issue will explore the use of AI for health (AIH) from the perspectives of patients and the public. The journal is seeking papers that examine (a) the experience and impact of patients and health consumers using AI applications, and (b) the involvement of patients, caregivers, and the public in the co-design and development of AIH.    For this theme issue, the journal ...

Unveiling the genetic secrets of Musa ornata and Musa velutina: insights into pericarp dehiscence and anthocyanin biosynthesis

Unveiling the genetic secrets of Musa ornata and Musa velutina: insights into pericarp dehiscence and anthocyanin biosynthesis
2024-07-02
In a pioneering study, researchers have completed the chromosome-level genome assemblies for Musa ornata and Musa velutina, shedding light on the genetic underpinnings of pericarp dehiscence and anthocyanin biosynthesis in bananas. This genetic blueprint is poised to revolutionize the enhancement of bananas' ornamental appeal and nutritional quality, unlocking mysteries that were previously obscured by limited genomic data. Musa ornata and Musa velutina, known for their ornamental appeal, face cultivation challenges ...

Researchers achieve dual-functional supramolecular materials

Researchers achieve dual-functional supramolecular materials
2024-07-02
Versatile molecular frameworks called discrete supramolecular structures act like microscopic building blocks customizable for a wide variety of applications. The structures can serve in drug delivery, provide unique environments for catalytic reactions or plug into a molecular machine. In their paper published June 25 in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, researchers from Yokohama National University presented a new methodology to advance self-assembly of dual-functional supramolecular materials. Self-assembly involves the spontaneous generation of a well-defined, discrete supramolecular architecture from ...

A new target for treatment of one type of macular degeneration

2024-07-02
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A new study in mice hints at the promise of an eventual alternative treatment option for the “wet” version of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Researchers determined in mice that an enzyme related to cell growth and division is a culprit in the blood vessel invasion in the back of the eye that causes blurred central vision in wet AMD. Targeting the enzyme, called telomerase, with an experimental drug suppressed abnormal vascular growth in the animals’ retina. The only current treatment for wet AMD is injection into the eye of a medication that blocks the activity of a growth factor protein, called VEGF, which is ...

Australian bushfire ash is deadly for aquatic life

Australian bushfire ash is deadly for aquatic life
2024-07-02
While the impact of wildfires on terrestrial life has been well studied, only recently has research started to examine the effects of wildfire ash on aquatic organisms. New research reveals that wildfire ash can have lethal consequences on Australian water ecosystems. Wildfires are becoming more prevalent due to the warming and drying effects of climate change, with Australia becoming especially vulnerable to dangerous bushfires. “Therefore, many Australian species may be threatened by fires,” says Miss Jenelle McCuaig, a Masters student at the University ...

Starfish skeleton inspires new 4D morphing structure

Starfish skeleton inspires new 4D morphing structure
2024-07-02
Researchers have recently developed a flexible-yet-sturdy morphing structure inspired by the starfish skeleton that exhibits 4D morphing features with promising applications for robotics, aviation, and medical devices. “Starfish possess the remarkable ability to effortlessly hold themselves in any body posture by changing the stiffness of their endoskeleton,” says Raman, a PhD student in the Biological Structures and Biomimetics workgroup at Hochschule Bremen - City University of Applied Sciences Bremen, Germany.  Ossicles are calcite microstructures inside starfish bodies that are connected in a ...

Eating more soy foods could improve thinking and attention in kids

2024-07-02
Chicago (July 2, 2024) — A new study found that school-aged children who consumed more isoflavones from soy foods exhibited better thinking abilities and attention. These findings pave the way for future research aimed at unraveling how soy foods can positively impact children's cognitive abilities. Isoflavones are naturally occurring compounds found in various plants, particularly soybeans and soy products. Although previous research in adults has suggested that soy isoflavones can improve memory, the ...

Changes in emergency contraceptive fills after Massachusetts’ statewide standing order

2024-07-02
About The Study: The Massachusetts statewide standing order policy was associated with a 32% increase in emergency contraceptive fills at pharmacies versus comparison states. After the policy, fills for prescription-only ulipristal more than doubled and accounted for the observed increases in fills for emergency contraceptives. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Dima M. Qato, Pharm.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., email qato@usc.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jama.2024.11715) Editor’s ...

Bacteria detected in tattoo and permanent makeup inks

2024-07-02
Washington, D.C.—Researchers have detected anaerobic and aerobic bacteria in commercial tattoo and permanent makeup inks. The findings, reported in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology, demonstrate that the inks could be a source of human infections. The new study is particularly notable as it is the first to investigate the presence of anaerobic bacteria in commercial tattoo inks.  “Our findings reveal that unopened and sealed tattoo inks can harbor anaerobic bacteria, known to thrive in low-oxygen environments like ...

American Indian/Alaska Native patients less likely to undergo breast reconstruction

2024-07-02
Waltham — July 2, 2024 — American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women with breast cancer have consistently lower rates of breast reconstruction after mastectomy compared to non-Hispanic White women, reports a paper in the July issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.  "Despite an upward trend in reconstruction, AI/AN women continue to be less likely to undergo breast reconstruction," comments Jane Hui, MD, MS, ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

‘Internal alarm system’ harnesses immune system against cancer

Stem cell transplant for stroke leads to brain cell growth and functional recovery in mice

Cleveland Clinic study shows greater long-term benefits of bariatric surgery compared to GLP-1 medicines

Revised diagnostic criteria for vascular cognitive impairment and dementia—The VasCog-2-WSO criteria

The ATREIDES program in search of lost exo-Neptunes

Ancient crop discovered in the Canary Islands thanks to archaeological DNA

Placental research may transform our understanding of autism and human brain evolution

Mapping the Universe, faster and with the same accuracy

Study isolates population aging as primary driver of musculoskeletal disorders

Designing a sulfur vacancy redox disruptor for photothermoelectric and cascade‑catalytic‑driven cuproptosis–ferroptosis–apoptosis therapy

Recent advances in dynamic biomacromolecular modifications and chemical interventions: Perspective from a Chinese chemical biology consortium

CRF and the Jon DeHaan Foundation to launch TCT AI Lab at TCT 2025

Canada’s fastest academic supercomputer is now online at SFU after $80m upgrades

Architecture’s past holds the key to sustainable future

Laser correction for short-sightedness is safe and effective for older teenagers

About one in five people taking Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro say food tastes saltier or sweeter than before

Taking semaglutide turns down food noise, research suggests

Type 2 diabetes may double risk of sepsis, large community-based study suggests

New quantum sensors can withstand extreme pressure

Tirzepatide more cost-effective than semaglutide in patients with knee osteoarthritis and obesity

GLP-1 drugs shown cost-effective for knee osteoarthritis and obesity

Interactive apps, AI chatbots promote playfulness, reduce privacy concerns

How NIL boosts college football’s competitive balance

Moffitt researchers develop machine learning model to predict urgent care visits for lung cancer patients

Construction secrets of honeybees: Study reveals how bees build hives in tricky spots

Wheat disease losses total $2.9 billion across the United States and Canada between 2018 and 2021

New funding fuels development of first potentially regenerative treatment for multiple sclerosis

NJIT student–faculty team wins best presentation award for ant swarm simulation

Ants defend plants from herbivores but can hinder pollination

When the wireless data runs dry

[Press-News.org] Too much treadmill? This could help your shin splints