THE BIOMECHANICS OF WALKING AND RUNNING

A fundamental understanding of the biomechanics of normal walking and running is imortant for understanding the mechanisms of walking and ru nning injuries. Biomechanical variables, such as temporal and stride p arameters, muscle activation levels, and joint kinematics and kinetics collected using computerized gait analysis techniques provide informa tion about the mechanisms behind walking and running. A comparison of these parameters collected during walking and running demonstrates the much increased demands on the body in terms of muscle activation leve ls, joint range of motion, and joint forces during running as compared with walking.