Muscular activity characteristics associated with preparation for gait transition

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate lower extremity neuromuscular activity patterns during gait transitions with continuously changing locomotion speeds. Methods Muscular activities related to gait transitions (walk to run and run to walk) induced by changing treadmill speed were compared to muscular activities during walk and run at constant speeds. All transition and constant speed conditions were conducted in similar speed range. Surface electromyographic activities of gluteus maximus (GM), rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris long head (BFL), tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius (GA), and soleus (SL) were collected and analyzed. The influences of speed and mode of locomotion were analyzed. Results We have observed transition specific nonlinear muscular behavior in this study. For example, peak magnitudes of GM, RF, GA, and SL increased with speed quadratically as locomotion approached walk to run transition within the last five steps. Activity duration of GA decreased in a quadratic fashion with speed as approached run to walk transition within the last five steps. These nonlinear reactions to speed change were only observed in transition related conditions but not in the constant speed conditions. Conclusion These results indicated that, in preparation for transition, neuromuscular modifications occur steps before gait transition due to changing speed. Gait transition is not a spontaneous event in response to any type of triggers.

[1]  J. Brisswalter,et al.  Energy cost and stride duration variability at preferred transition gait speed between walking and running. , 1996, Canadian journal of applied physiology = Revue canadienne de physiologie appliquee.

[2]  K. Newell,et al.  Stability and the time-dependent structure of gait variability in walking and running. , 2009, Human movement science.

[3]  A. Biewener,et al.  Dynamics of muscle function during locomotion: accommodating variable conditions. , 1999, The Journal of experimental biology.

[4]  A Hreljac,et al.  Determinants of the gait transition speed during human locomotion: kinematic factors. , 1995, Journal of biomechanics.

[5]  B I Prilutsky,et al.  Swing- and support-related muscle actions differentially trigger human walk-run and run-walk transitions. , 2001, The Journal of experimental biology.

[6]  Reed Ferber,et al.  An Electromyographical Analysis of the Role of Dorsiflexors on the Gait Transition during Human Locomotion , 2001 .

[8]  G. Cavagna,et al.  Energetics and mechanics of terrestrial locomotion. IV. Total mechanical energy changes as a function of speed and body size in birds and mammals. , 1982, The Journal of experimental biology.

[9]  W. H. Warren,et al.  Why change gaits? Dynamics of the walk-run transition. , 1995, Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

[10]  Joseph Hamill,et al.  Characteristics of the Vertical Ground Reaction Force Component Prior to Gait Transition , 2002, Research quarterly for exercise and sport.

[11]  V Segers,et al.  Kinematics of the transition between walking and running when gradually changing speed. , 2007, Gait & posture.

[12]  A. Thorstensson,et al.  Ground reaction forces at different speeds of human walking and running. , 1989, Acta physiologica Scandinavica.

[13]  D. Lloyd,et al.  Muscle activation strategies at the knee during running and cutting maneuvers. , 2003, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[14]  R. Emmerik,et al.  Coordination patterns of walking and running at similar speed and stride frequency , 1999 .

[15]  Li Li.  Stability Landscapes of Walking and Running Near Gait Transition Speed , 2000 .