Running is known to provide important health benefits. However, the incidence of injury among runners is high, particularly among novice runners, which discourages long term participation in the sport. The knee is the most commonly injured joint in novice runners. In general, aberrant frontal and transverse plane kinematics are associated with the development of knee injuries in runners. It was unknown whether the high rate of knee injury in novice runners was due to abnormal kinematics. Further, it was unclear whether these risk factors for injury could be improved. This dissertation includes four studies investigating kinematics in novice runners, how they change with training and evaluation of a running assessment. The first study compared frontal and transverse plane kinematics of female novice and experienced runners. Novice runners displayed more knee kinematics associated with injury than experienced runners, which may contribute to their higher risk of injury. The second study investigated the effects of two different training programs on kinematics of novice runners: one program consisted of 8 weeks of walking followed by 8 weeks of running, the other consisted of 8 weeks of strength/plyometric training followed by 8 weeks of running. Results demonstrated that training produced small changes in kinematics, however all types of training produced a mix of beneficial and detrimental effects. Participants who completed the study displayed better knee kinematics 8 than those who dropped out, which may have influenced their ability to complete the program. The third study sought to investigate changes in coordination of the hip and ankle joints, and their contributions to knee joint angles thought to contribute to injury. Results demonstrated that both the hip and the ankle may influence changes in knee kinematics, however the relative motion of the hip and the ankle appears to remain stable with training. In the final study, we investigated the reliability and validity of the Running Readiness Scale (RRS), as a low cost assessment of kinematics related to injury in runners. The RRS demonstrated good inter and intra rater reliability. Further, the RRS appeared to effectively discriminate between runners according to knee abduction, but not knee internal rotation.

Title Atypical Pronation of the Sub-Talar Joint: Its Implications on the Lower Limb Background Atypical pronation of the sub-talar joint, or overpronation of the foot, as it is more commonly known, is a current subtopic in foot and lower limb-related biomechanical issues. Typical pronation is a tri-planar movement that involves eversion of the hindfoot, combined with abduction and dorsiflexion of the forefoot. Atypical pronation is recognized when this motion is excessive, and may be determined by the extent and duration to which this occurs according to the rhythmic timing during the gait pattern. It is a mechanical problem of the foot that primarily results from a subluxation or shift of the sub-talar joint and bones of the mid- and hind-foot. As a common finding in the general population, especially in those with flexible flat feet, atypical pronation may result chronically in a displacement of the bones and joints of the lower limb. Research has stated that excessive pronation of the ankle-foot complex may cause change in position of certain bones in the lower limb. This is believed to occur through an interaction between foot and pelvis through a kinetic chain mechanism. Furthermore, it has been stated that atypical pronation may affect weight transfer of the lower limb during gait that may...