A Comparison of the Variation in the Running Patterns of Individuals Selected from Various Mental are Categories

Abstract

This study was designed to compare the variations in velocity, stride length, time of support, and time of non-support in the run. The subjects included 2 boys of normal intelligence, 2 EMR boys, and 2 TMR boys ranging in age from 126 months to 138 months. Subjects were filmed, through the use of cinematography, at 100 frames per second. The following frames were selected for analysis: foot-strike, mid-support (at the point when the tibias perpendicular to the foot), heel rise, and toe off. These frames were traced onto graph paper and joints were marked. Treatment of data comprised descriptive statistics, utilizing the AAPHER Youth Fitness norms for normal populations and retarded populations as a standard of comparison. Analysis of data produced a significant relationship between IQ and running velocity, stride length, and time of support. The lower the IQ the slower the average velocity of the run, The slower the average velocity the shorter the stride length and the greater the time of support. There seemed to be no significant correlation between IQ and time of non-support.