Relationships between Ground Reaction Force and Tibial Bone Acceleration Parameters

Abstract

Using data from six male subjects, this study compared ground reaction force and tibial acceleration parameters for running. A bone-mounted triaxial accelerometer and a force platform were employed for data collection. Low peak values were found for the axial acceleration, and a time shift toward the occurrence of the first peak in the vertical force data was present. The time to peak axial acceleration differed significantly from the time to the first force peak, and the peak values of force and acceleration demonstrated only a moderate correlation. However, a high negative correlation was found for the comparison of the peak axial acceleration with the time to peak vertical force. Employing a multiple regression analysis, the peak tibial acceleration could be well estimated using vertical force loading rate and peak horizontal ground reaction force as predictors.