Joint morphology and its relation to function in elite sprinters

Joint structure seems well suited to the functional needs of the various animals who excel at running, digging, swimming, and other activities, but there is little evidence to suggest that variation in joint structure among humans determines function. We present experimental measurements made in human sprinters and non-sprinters, including measurements of tendon excursion from ultrasound imaging and bone geometry from magnetic resonance imaging, that suggest differences in ankle joint anatomy between these two groups. The functional significance of these morphological differences is explored using non-periodic forward dynamic simulation of a sprinter's initial acceleration.