The fluctuations of the mechanical energy of the center of mass (COM) during walking and running are well characterized by inverted pendulum and spring-mass models respectively (2). Pellegrini (4) found that in diagonal stride cross-country (XC) skiing, the kinetic energy (KE) and gravitational potential energies (GPE) of the COM are not out-ofphase like in walking and thus ascribed diagonal stride XC skiing as mechanically more similar to running. Interested by Pellegrini`s findings, we analyzed ground reaction forces during treadmill walking, running and no pole diagonal skiing (NDIA) to compare the COM mechanical energy fluctuations. We hypothesized that running and NDIA would share similar patterns of KE and GPE fluctuations as if roller skiing is "running on wheels".
© Copyright 2013 Abstract Book of the 6th International Congress on Science and Skiing, December 14 - 19, 2013 St. Christoph am Arlberg - Austria. Published by University of Salzburg. All rights reserved.