Step Rate in Recreational Runners

This will be a pilot study to determine if a 6 week home training program can increase preferred step rate (cadence) in recreational runners. Increase in step rate has been correlated with decreased stress at lower limb joints in runners. This has the potential of decreasing overuse injuries in this population. Research participants will have their preferred cadence evaluated at the beginning of the study. The athletes will be randomly assigned to two groups. One group will continue to train without intervention and the other group will train at a cadence of 10% higher than their preferred step rate. At the end of 6 weeks the participants will have their preferred cadence reevaluated using the same method as pre-participation cadence was determined. The investigators hypothesis the preferred running cadence of recreational runners following the intervention will be 5-10% greater than prior to the intervention and the increased cadence will be maintained for 6 months following the intervention.

Prospective, randomized, controlled study evaluating whether a home exercise program can increase the running cadence of recreational runners.

The intervention will involve a home exercise program designed to increase the running cadence in recreational runners.

Running cadence (steps per minute) will be evaluated using a running cadence sensor to determine if the intervention subjects increased their running cadence by 10 steps per minute following the intervention.

Running cadence (steps per minute) will be evaluated using a running cadence sensor to determine if the intervention subjects maintained their increased running cadence for 6 months following the intervention.

Inclusion criteria: healthy male or female runners 18 years of age or greater run two or more times per week most weeks of the year for at least 4 years cadence of 85 strides/min or less as determined at initial evaluation no musculoskeletal injuries or illnesses that would limit running in the last 6 months currently running at least 15 miles a week Exclusion criteria: baseline running cadence greater than 85 strides/min inability to run cardiovascular disease greater than 2 cardiovascular risk factors peripheral vascular disease neurological disease musculoskeletal injury or disease that causes pain with running