Your running style changes when you’re short of sleep
There are measurable changes in the way we run when we are short of sleep, which give us a clearer picture of how a lack of shut-eye affects our risk of injury
Sleep deprivation doesn't just make it harder to lace up your running shoes; it also alters the way you move while running. When sleep-deprived, runners take fewer steps per minute at the same speed, and their feet spend more time in contact with the ground. This may seem beneficial for runners with joint injuries, as it reduces joint stress, but it may also increase the risk of other injuries, especially to the knee.
Maura Seynaeve at KU Leuven in Belgium suggests that sleep-deprived individuals may not be as alert, leading to less active preparation for ground contact. The study, which included 21 participants, monitored their movements using an accelerometer and a motion-capture camera during two treadmill runs separated by a week. One run was performed after a full night's sleep, while the other was done after a night of no sleep.
While sleep deprivation affected individual running styles, the changes were consistent for each person.
Written by urgent.news from New Scientist's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
