Date of Award
Fall 10-8-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Kinesiology (PhD)
Department
Kinesiology
Abstract
The knee is one of the most frequently injured musculoskeletal systems among long-distance runners, and these injuries may be explained by biomechanical inefficiencies and imbalances between the quadriceps and hamstrings. Common knee injuries in runners include patellofemoral pain syndrome, iliotibial band syndrome, and meniscal irritation. These injuries have the potential to interfere with training, reduce the number of races runners partake in, and affect performance in the long-term. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between quadriceps and hamstring strength and biomechanics of the knee involving long-distance runners experiencing knee pain or discomfort. Specifically, two-dimensional (2D) gait analysis was employed to determine knee range of motion at initial contact and midstance to calculate the knee excursion range of motion, while concentric isokinetic strength testing on a HUMAC NORM system measured quadriceps and hamstring peak torque, time to peak torque, and side-to-side asymmetry. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data in terms of a multiple regression with bootstrapping procedures, and variance inflation factor checks used to analyze the data regarding multicollinearity. This research provides information on the associations between knee pain and/or discomfort, strength, and biomechanical variables in long-distance running. These findings may inform injury prevention and rehabilitation strategies, and individual strength training and gait retraining programs can be developed based on these results in endurance athletes.