Alterations in Ground Reaction Force Frequency Content During Walking and Running in Recreational Runners with a History of COVID-19 Compared to Healthy Controls

Objective: Despite the prevalence of chronic symptoms of COVID-19 and pathological changes that may affect gait and functional mobility in people with a history of COVID-19. No studies have investigated the ground reaction force frequency in recreational runners with history of COVID-19 differed compared to healthy controls. Methods and Materials: The study involved 14 female adults with history of COVID-19 and 14 healthy age-matched controls. Ground reaction forces were recorded during barefoot walking (~ 1.2 m/s) and running (~ 3.2 m/s) at constant speed. Results: Significant differences in key frequency components in the anterior-posterior direction were observed between the COVID-19 and healthy groups during running (p=0.036). Also, Significant differences in key frequency components in the medio-lateral direction were observed between the COVID-19 and healthy groups during walking (p=0.005). Conclusion: Lower essential number of harmonics in the medio-lateral direction during walking and higher essential number of harmonics in anterior-posterior direction during running may be attributed to decreased muscle membrane excitability, slowing of nerve conduction velocities, and axonal degeneration directly impacting skeletal muscle activation, and in turn its function.