Muscle Work Discrepancy during Incline and Decline Running at Three Speeds

Abstract

Introduction: Previous research has explored muscle function during gait and this work has shown that more positive mechanical muscle work is produced in gait tasks that primarily raise the center of mass (incline gait tasks) compared to the amount of negative mechanical muscle work dissipated in gait tasks that primarily lower the center of mass (decline gait tasks). This has led to the hypothesis that skeletal muscles generate more mechanical energy in gait tasks that raise the center of mass compared to mechanical energy dissipated by muscles in gait tasks that lower the center of mass. The purpose of this study was to compare the positive and negative muscle work produced during incline and decline running at three speeds in healthy young adults.