Abstract
There are approximately 25-30 million runners in the United States and approximately 50-70% will at some point sustain an injury. This study was designed to explore a possible risk factor of tight muscles from a handedness pattern and its relationship to running injuries. It compared a runners handedness with patterns of tight medial and lateral musculature and with areas of running injuries. Volunteer runners (n=38) were tested for tight muscles in four areas (tensor fascia latae, hip adductors, ankle inverers and everters). Then each subject answered a survey about their history of running injuries. No relationships were found (p>.05). This study was compromised by the large variability in the measurements taken and by examining the injuries in retrospect. It was concluded that more research in the area of handedness and its effect on medial and lateral musculature is needed in both the general and running population.
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