The independent effects of gravity and inertia on running mechanics

Abstract

It is difficult to distinguish the independent effects of gravity from those of inertia on a running animal. Simply adding mass proportionally changes both the weight (gravitational force) and mass (inertial force) of the animal. We measured ground reaction forces for eight male humans running normally at 3 m s(−)(1) and under three experimental treatments: added gravitational and inertial forces, added inertial forces and reduced gravitational forces. Subjects ran at 110, 120 and 130 % of normal weight and mass, at 110, 120 and 130 % of normal mass while maintaining 100 % normal weight, and at 25, 50 and 75 % of normal weight while maintaining 100 % normal mass. The peak active vertical forces generated changed with weight, but did not change with mass. Surprisingly, horizontal impulses changed substantially more with weight than with mass. Gravity exerted a greater influence than inertia on both vertical and horizontal forces generated against the ground during running. Subjects changed vertical and horizontal forces proportionately at corresponding times in the step cycle to maintain the orientation of the resultant vector despite a nearly threefold change in magnitude across treatments. Maintaining the orientation of the resultant vector during periods of high force generation aligns the vector with the leg to minimize muscle forces.