INTRODUCTION

Sprint drills are an integral part of training for competitive runners. They are necessary to improve and maintain various components or running such as decreasing ground contact time and increasing use of proper form. As competitive runners, we learn many different types of sprint drills, but we have never considered the biomechanical consequences of our drills. We have chosen to analyze two of the most commonly used methods &endash; the traditional and sustained dorsiflexion methods &endash; in the high knee sprint drill. Each method consists of modified running with exaggerated knee lift. While the traditional method focuses solely on knee lift, the sustained dorsiflexion method stresses maintaining ankle dorsiflexion throughout the drill. According to a previous study, "dorsiflexion of the toes tightens the framework and thereby restricts passive movement of the skin, enabling shear forces to be transferred to the skeleton" (Bojsen-Moller and Lamereux, 1979). Is dorsiflexion of the ankle effective in decreasing contact time and improving coordination during the high knee sprint drill?

The purpose of the project is to study the differences between the two methods of performing the high knee sprint drill. We will answer our question by analyzing hip and knee angles and trunk segment of our subject as well as the ground contact time during the movements. We hope that our results will help us better understand the effects of sprint drills on our overall running performances.