Implications for Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome and Achilles
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TOWARDS AN UNDERSTANDING OF PROLONGED PRONATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR MEDIAL TIBIAL STRESS SYNDROME AND ACHILLES TENDINOPATHY by JAMES NICHOLAS MACKSOUD BECKER A DISSERTATION Presented to the Department of Human Physiology and the Graduate School of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy June 2013 DISSERTATION APPROVAL PAGE Student: James Nicholas Macksoud Becker Title: Towards an Understanding of Prolonged Pronation: Implications for Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome and Achilles Tendinopathy This dissertation has been accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in the Department of Human Physiology by: Dr. Li-Shan Chou Chairperson Dr. Andrew Karduna Core Member Dr. Louis Osternig Core Member Dr. Stan James Core Member Dr. James Snodgrass Institutional Representative and Kimberly Andrews Espy Vice President for Research and Innovation; Dean of the Graduate School Original approval signatures are on file with the University of Oregon Graduate School. Degree awarded June 2013 ii © 2013 James Nicholas Macksoud Becker iii DISSERTATION ABSTRACT James Nicholas Macksoud Becker Doctor of Philosophy Department of Human Physiology June 2013 Title: Towards an Understanding of Prolonged Pronation: Implications for Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome and Achilles Tendinopathy Epidemiologic data suggest 25% to 75% of all runners experience an overuse injury each year. Commonly cited biomechanical factors related to overuse injuries such as Achilles tendinopathy or medial tibial stress syndrome include excessive amounts or velocities of foot pronation. However, there is conflicting evidence in the literature supporting this theory. An alternative hypothesis suggests it is not necessarily the amount or velocity of pronation which is important for injury development; rather it is the duration the foot remains in a pronated position throughout stance that is the important variable. This project examined this hypothesis by first identifying biomechanical markers of prolonged pronation. Second, it assessed whether individuals currently symptomatic with injuries typically attributed to excessive pronation instead demonstrate the biomechanical markers of prolonged pronation. Finally, musculoskeletal modeling techniques were used to examine musculotendinous kinematics in injured and healthy runners, as well as healthy runners with prolonged pronation. The results suggest the two most robust measures for identifying individuals with prolonged pronation are the period of pronation and the eversion of the rear foot at heel iv off. Individuals with prolonged pronation can also be identified with a set of clinically feasible measures including higher standing tibia varus angles, reduced static hip internal rotation range of motion, and increased hip internal rotation during stance phase. Finally, individuals with prolonged pronation display a more medially located center of pressure trajectory during stance. Compared to healthy controls, individuals currently symptomatic with Achilles tendinopathy or medial tibial stress syndrome did not differ in the amount or velocity of pronation. However, they did demonstrate the biomechanical markers of prolonged pronation. Injured individuals also demonstrated greater average musculotendinous percent elongation than healthy controls, especially through mid and late stance. Currently healthy individuals demonstrating prolonged pronation exhibited musculotendinous percent elongations intermediate to the healthy and injured groups. As a whole, the results from this study suggest prolonged pronation may play a role in the development of common overuse running injuries. It is suggested future studies on injury mechanisms consider pronation duration as an important variable to examine. This dissertation includes unpublished co-authored material. v CURRICULUM VITAE NAME OF AUTHOR: James Nicholas Macksoud Becker GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED: University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont DEGREES AWARDED: Doctor of Philosophy, Human Physiology, 2013, University of Oregon Master of Science, Human Physiology, 2010, University of Oregon Bachelor of Arts, Geography, 2002, Middlebury College AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST: Lower extremity biomechanics Sport biomechanics PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Biomechanist, USA Track & Field Sports Science, 2012 to present Graduate Teaching Fellow, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 2009 to present Science Teacher, Vergennes Union High School, Vergennes, Vermont, 2002 to 2007 Head Track & Field and Cross Country Coach, Vergennes Union High School, Vergennes, Vermont, 2002 to 2007. GRANTS, AWARDS, AND HONORS: Best Podium Presentation Award, Northwest Biomechanics Symposium, 2012 Best Poster Presentation Award, Northwest Biomechanics Symposium, 2012 vi Moshberger Endowed Scholarship, Department of Human Physiology, 2011 and 2012 Dissertation Grant in Aid, American Society of Biomechanics, 2012 Matching Dissertation Award, International Society of Biomechanics, 2012 Eugene and Clarissa Evonuk Fellowship in Environmental and Stress Physiology, University of Oregon, 2012 vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost I would like to express my appreciation to Dr. Li-Shan Chou for his mentorship and friendship over the last five years. In everything from teaching to research to professional etiquette to philosophical discussions on life, you set the standard for what it means to be a mentor and advisor. I can only hope to do as well by my future students. Thank you. I also wish to thank the members of my committee, Drs. Andrew Karduna, Louis Osternig, Josh Snodgrass, and Stan James, for their insightful questions and critiques which have greatly contributed to improving the quality of this work. In addition to their feedback on the dissertation I wish to thank Dr. Karduna and Dr. Osternig for their guidance and instruction throughout my graduate studies. It has been a great privilege to work with and learn from such accomplished individuals. I would especially like to say thank you to Dr. James for volunteering his time in the laboratory helping with research, referring patients from his clinical practice, and generally being an invaluable resource. I cannot begin to express how much I have learned in talking with you and how much I have enjoyed our interactions. I look forward to more collaborative efforts in the future. This work would not have been possible without the aid of numerous individuals. To Robert Wayner, thank you for your friendship, help in referring patients, overall support of the project, and for thought provoking discussions on future research ideas. I foresee some great collaborative projects stemming from these discussions. To my colleagues in the laboratory: Vipul Lugade, Scott Breloff, Masa Fujimoto, Shiu-Ling Chui, David Howell, On-Yee Lo, Chi-Wei Chou, JJ Hannigan, Eric Pisciotta, and RJ viii Howey thank you for your help and support. From pitching in to help with data collection, serving as sounding boards for new ideas or data interpretations, to generally making the laboratory a fun place to work and spend time, you all have left an indelible imprint on this project. Thank you also for making Eugene a great place to learn and live for the last five years. From mountain adventures to in town activities it would not have been the same without you all. Don’t forget to get outside and see the sun every now and then. I am especially grateful to my family for their support and encouragement. To my parents, Jim and Mimi, my brother John and his wife Ember, thank for you always understanding. To the rest of my family, especially Bill and Melinda, Patty, Pete, and Carrie, Vicky, Nickie and Dan, thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Last, but certainly not least, thank you to Hilary Senesac for your unwavering love and support. Without your help this whole project never would have gotten off the ground. You are a constant source of inspiration and I look forward to what new adventures come our way. This dissertation has been supported in part by the Department of Human Physiology’s Ursula (Sue) Moshberger scholarship, the Eugene and Clarissa Evonuk Graduate Fellowship in Environmental and Stress Physiology, the American Society of Biomechanics Dissertation Grant-in-Aid, and the International Society of Biomechanics Matching Dissertation Grant. ix This work is dedicated to my coach, mentor, and friend Dave Kerin. Without those late nights conversations in McCullough I would not be on this path. x TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 Running Injuries Incidences and Associated Costs ............................................... 1 Anthropometric and Anatomic Factors Related to Running Injuries .................... 4 General Foot Kinematics and Anatomy of the Foot .............................................. 6 Theoretical Relationships Between Foot Kinematics and Common Running Injuries..................................................................................................... 13 Issues with the Current Theories and an Alternative View ................................... 16 Overall Goals and Specific Aims for the Dissertation ........................................... 19 Identify Specific Biomechanical Markers of Prolonged Pronation ................. 20 Examine Whether Injured Individuals Display