Run Test
Table of Contents
What is a run test?
The run test is useful to measure how the body responds to activities of higher demand. It provides practitioners with an objective measure of lower limb movement quality, compensation and strategies for high speed propulsion and absorption.
Run test instructions
Start the Test
- In plantiga.io, go to Record (left sidebar)
- From the Activity Type drop-down, select Run
- From the Select People drop-down, select the athlete profile(s) being tested
Check for Warnings
- It's important to resolve all warnings before starting or data may not be recorded.
- Click Start
Calibrate
- Instruct the athlete to stand still with both feet on the ground for 3 seconds at the start of the assessment
Perform the Test
- Once ready, instruct the athlete to run for the chosen amount of time
- The test be as short as a 40m sprint or as long as a 2 hour run
End the Test
- Click Stop when finished
- (Optional) Add contextual notes
- Choose one of the following:
- Done – finish and save
- Next – start another assessment
- Reset – discard the assessment
Run test demo
What do the metrics mean?
Average Speed: the average running speed across the test.
- If combined with ground contact time, average speed can give insight into fatigue. For example, higher left and right ground contact times paired with a similar average speed may indicate fatigue.
Ground contact time asymmetry: a measure of the amount of time the left vs. right side is on the ground between steps.
- Ground contact time asymmetries may occur as a compensation strategy caused by fatigue, injury or weakness on one side.
Push-off asymmetry: a measure of the left vs. right side ability to propel off the ground.
- Higher push-off asymmetries are possible when the ankle or foot muscles on one side are fatigued, injured or weak.
Impact asymmetry: a measure of the left vs. right side ability to absorb the load when the foot hits the ground.
- Impact asymmetry may point to stiffer landing on one side compared to the other, often when a protective strategy is being used.
- If combined with larger ground contact time asymmetry on the same side, it might point to an a protective shift to unload the fatigued or injured side.