Key result
Synchronizing foot strikes with the diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle during running significantly reduced heart rate (172.4 vs 175.0 bpm, p<0.001) compared with stepping during systole.
Why the study?
Does synchronizing foot strikes to the diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle reduce heart rate and minute ventilation in elite male distance runners compared to systolic stepping?
RCT (n=10)
Double-blind
Randomized in a balanced crossover design
No
Does synchronizing foot strikes to the diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle reduce heart rate and minute ventilation in elite male distance runners compared to systolic stepping?
Absolute Event Rate: 172.4% vs 175%
p-value: p=<0.001
Synchronizing running foot strikes to the diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle reduces heart rate and minute ventilation, which may be beneficial for distance running performance.
Authors
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Hypothesis-generating for diastolic stepping in runners; larger trials needed before any practice consideration.
Constantini et al. (2017) conducted an RCT in Healthy elite distance runners (n=10). Diastolic stepping (synchronizing foot strike with cardiac diastole) vs. Systolic stepping (synchronizing foot strike with cardiac systole) was evaluated on Heart rate (HR) (p=<0.001). Synchronizing foot strikes with the diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle during running significantly reduced heart rate (172.4 vs 175.0 bpm, p<0.001) compared with stepping during systole.
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