INTRODUCTION

The ability of an elite runner to use different means of training is essential especially when weather conditions are not ideal for outdoor running. It would be extremely useful for this individual to be able to train with the help of an apparatus which aids the individual in reproducing their exact running form since it would be a more successful workout for the athlete. Treadmills have been one machine known to help runners train during the harsh winter months, but do they really help the athlete to accurately mimic their natural running form? In the article by Shealy et al. (1992), they found that "changes in the voluntary in vivo mechanical characteristics of knee extensor and flexor skeletal muscles are specific to the type of run training performed". We hypothesize that treadmill running alters the form of elite runners and that their range of motion at the hip and knee joints while on the treadmill will decrease.

In this study, we will be comparing the kinematics of an elite runner on and off a treadmill. We have chosen for the runner to train at a pace of a recovery run since more than half of their training in a week is performed at this pace. With our study, we hope to determine if treadmill running is truly a good alternative for regular running.