Effect of Strength and Plyometric Training on Kinematics in Female Novice Runners.

Researchers recruited 57 novice female runners and split them into two groups: one that did eight weeks of walking followed by eight weeks of running, and another that did eight weeks of strength or plyometric training first, then eight weeks of running. They measured how the runners' joints moved at different points in their stride at the start, after eight weeks, and after sixteen weeks. Both groups ended up running with a more extended leg during the swing phase of their stride after the training period, and these changes appeared related to better running efficiency.

However, the plyometric group did not show notably different improvements in running form compared to the group that simply did the preparatory walking program. The authors suggest that longer or more intense training might be needed to see differences in movement patterns that could reduce injury risk.

If you are just starting to run, this study looked at whether doing strength or plyometric exercises first (like jumps and controlled hops) makes a difference to how your body moves when you run. Researchers found that after four months of training and running, novice female runners did develop changes in their running mechanics, particularly in how their legs extended during running.

These changes may relate to running more efficiently, which could feel less tiring over time. However, the study did not find that the strength and plyometric group ran differently than the group that simply started with walking and then running.

This suggests that adding those exercises at the beginning did not produce unique changes in movement patterns. The study was relatively small and fairly short, so it remains unclear whether longer or more intensive exercise programs might produce different results.

This is a summary of research, not medical advice. Talk to your own healthcare provider about anything affecting your care.

This study tracked kinematic changes in 21 novice female runners across a four-month period using statistical parametric mapping to assess joint angles throughout the gait cycle. Both the control group (walking plus running) and the intervention group (strength or plyometric training plus running) showed significant sagittal plane changes in knee and hip extension during swing phase, with no significant interaction between group and time point.

The main effect of time was substantial for these joint angles, suggesting that the preparatory phase itself drove adaptation regardless of training type. The authors acknowledge that eight weeks of plyometric training did not produce divergent kinematic outcomes from a walking control, which contrasts with the injury-reduction effects seen in court and field sport populations.

This raises a question about whether different training volume, intensity, or duration might be needed in running populations, or whether the two-week assessment intervals missed transient adaptations. The finding that running kinematics changed similarly across both groups supports the role of structured progression in novice runners but does not establish a biomechanical advantage for plyometric preparation in this population.