Environmental and task constraints influence footfall variability in track and field jumping events

Abstract

By analysis of footfall variability in the long jump, triple jump, and pole vault, the present study was designed to highlight gait variability patterns required in varied nested tasks. Twelve male athletes in each event who participated in one international and two national competitions were involved in this study. Twenty five pairs of 1-m Optojump Next system bars were used to evaluate relevant footfall placement. The footfall variability was taken to present the pattern of step regulation and onset of visual regulation. The main results of this study showed that pole vaulters manifested a highly consistent gait pattern, which was different than the pattern which appeared in the horizontal jumps. The results also revealed that the onset of step length adjustments in the horizontal jumps occurred significantly later during the zeroing-in phase of the approach run in comparison to those utilized by the pole vaulters. These findings indicate that locomotor pointing control in the long jump, triple jump, and pole vault produce specific footfall variability patterns due to different task and environmental constraints that need to be taken into account during training and competition settings.