Biomechanics of Short Distance Running: Sprint Start Analysis

Introduction

Sports biomechanics is one of the most important components in the field of sports, as it provides insights regarding human movement from both injury-reduction and performance-enhancement perspectives. Consequently, coaches and physicians utilize information regarding sports biomechanics to understand athletes' correct and incorrect technique. Most existing research on sports biomechanics generates insights regarding the basic kinetic and kinematic attributes of specific athletic movements.

Short distance running, or sprinting, is always associated with power and speed, since it entails quick acceleration followed by the maintenance of velocity. While existing biomechanics research provides insights regarding basic kinetic and kinematic attributes, inter-individual differences across various levels of performance remain largely unknown. This study focuses on examining the biomechanical variations in the starting ability of short distance runners.

Importance and Purpose of the Study

The evaluation of biomechanical differences in the starting ability of short distance runners is an important topic of research within the broader field of biomechanics for performance enhancement. This study should be carried out to help understand why short distance runners have varying starting abilities even though they consistently perform from a predetermined set position. This would help clarify the differences between faster (elite) and slower (sub-elite) short distance runners.

The purpose of this study is to explore the differences between the starting abilities of faster and slower short distance runners based on the kinetics and kinematics linked to take-off. This study would make significant contributions to existing literature on the characteristics that distinguish faster short distance runners from slower ones.

Hypothesis

In light of the purpose of the study, the hypothesis that will guide this research is: "Start kinetics play a major role in the starting ability variations between faster short distance runners and slower short distance runners."

Literature Review

Majumdar and Robergs (2011) conducted a study in which they examined the science of speed with respect to performance in the 100m sprint. These researchers found that performance in short distance running — particularly the 100m sprint — is influenced by numerous factors, including neural influences, physiological demands, starting strategy, track and environmental conditions, stride length, anthropometrics, stride frequency, and muscle composition. Additionally, that study found that biomechanics play an important role in sprinting performance and contribute to the differences between faster and slower sprinters.

In an earlier study, Murphy, Lockie, and Coutts (2003) found that early acceleration in field sport athletes, including sprinters, affects sprinting performance. The kinematic determinants of differences in acceleration performance include stride length, stride frequency, and knee extension (Weyand et al., 2000; Murphy, Lockie, and Coutts, 2003). According to Petersen, Sorensen, and Nielsen (2015), faster and slower speed running is determined by knee joint loads per stride and increases in cumulative load.

Coh et al. (2017) provide a different perspective by arguing that force production is the kinetic factor that contributes to greater variations between sprinters, rather than kinematics. Their study demonstrates that the significant difference between faster and slower sprinters lies in kinetics — specifically, greater force production and sprint start motor performance. Together, these studies highlight the key role of biomechanics in the performance differences between faster and slower sprinters.