Abstract
The split-belt treadmill has been used to examine the adaptation of spatial and temporal gait parameters. Historically, similar studies have focused on anterior-posterior (AP) spatiotemporal gait parameters because this paradigm is primarily a perturbation in the AP direction, but it is important to understand whether and how medial-lateral (ML) control adapts in this scenario. The ML control of balance must be actively controlled and adapted in different walking environments. Furthermore, it is well established that older adults have balance difficulties. Therefore, we seek to determine whether ML balance adaptation differs in older age. We analyzed split belt induced changes in gait parameters including variables which inform us about ML balance control in younger and older adults. Our primary finding is that younger adults showed sustained asymmetric changes in these ML balance parameters during the split condition. Specifically, younger adults sustained a greater displacement between their fast stance foot and their upper body, relative to the slow stance foot, in the ML direction. This finding suggests that younger adults may be exploiting passive dynamics in the ML direction, which may be more metabolically efficient. Older adults did not display the same degree of asymmetry, suggesting older adults may be more concerned about maintaining a stable gait.
Highlights
The split-belt treadmill has been used to examine the adaptation of spatial and temporal gait parameters
The step timing and duration of the single and double stance periods affect balance. These timing parameters are shared between the AP and ML directions, so the AP changes enforced by the split belt treadmill paradigm represent a challenge to balance in the ML direction
We investigate whether older adults adapt differently to a split belt treadmill paradigm compared to younger adults, with an emphasis on the ML control of balance
Summary
The split-belt treadmill has been used to examine the adaptation of spatial and temporal gait parameters. The balance problem is generally understood to require more active control in the ML d irection[17,18,19], implied by modeling and experimental work showing differences in the source of the variability of foot placement between the anterior-posterior (AP) and ML directions This supports a growing consensus that step length and Scientific Reports | (2021) 11:21148. The step timing and duration of the single and double stance periods affect balance These timing parameters are shared between the AP and ML directions, so the AP changes enforced by the split belt treadmill paradigm represent a challenge to balance in the ML direction. We hypothesize that gait parameters specific to ML balance control are modulated throughout the split belt treadmill protocol, but at different rates than the commonly assessed spatiotemporal variables
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