Walking In Healthy Adults Research Articles

Test-Retest Reliability of the Win-Track Platform in Analyzing the Gait Parameters and Plantar Pressures During Barefoot Walking in Healthy Adults

The Win-Track platform is an instrument used to measure plantar pressures and gait parameters during barefoot walking. The objective of this study was to determine the test-retest reliability of the system in assessing plantar pressures and temporal gait variables between 1-step and 3-step gait protocols. A total of 30 healthy participants (18 women and 12 men; age 23.7 ± 4.75 years) were recruited for the study. The 1-step gait protocol exhibited good reliability in terms of single stance, step duration and swing duration of the left foot; stride duration of the right foot; stride length; and step length of the right foot, with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) ranging from 0.75 to 0.88. The 3-step gait protocol showed good reliability, with ICC values ranging between 0.75 and 0.90 in cadence; step duration of the right foot; double-stance duration and swing duration of the right foot; stride length of the right foot; step length and gait cycle length of the right and the left foot; and the area covered by the first, second, and third foot. The authors concluded that the Win-Track platform provided reliable plantar pressures and temporal gait measures, and the 3-step gait protocol showed better reliability compared with the 1-step gait protocol.

Validation Of Accelerometers For Measurement Of Mets During Walking In Independent And Dependent Elderly People

We previously confirmed that uni- (Lifecorder (LC), Suzuken Inc., Japan) and tri-axial accelerometers (Activity monitor (AM), Matsushita Electronic Works, Ltd., Japan and Active style Pro (ASP), Omron HealthCare Co., Ltd., Japan) accurately estimated energy expenditure during walking in healthy adults. However, it is unclear whether this is also true in elderly people, especially in very frail populations. PURPOSE: To validate LC, AM, and ASP at three walking speeds in independent and dependent elderly people. METHODS: Volunteers were categorized into four groups: independent elderly (IE, 5 men and 15 women, ages: 76.5±3.3), dependent elderly who walk without any assistive equipment (DE, 7 men and 11 women, ages: 75.3±7.3), dependent elderly who walk with a cane (DE+CANE, 3 men and 5 women, ages: 84.4±8.3), and dependent elderly who walk with a wheeled walker (DE+WALKER, 9 women, ages: 83.1±9.3). Three trials (preferred low, normal, and high walking speeds) were performed. Subjects were equipped with a facemask connected to a Douglas bag, and the LC was attached to the left waist at the midline of the left thigh, the AM to the left waist, and the ASP to the right waist. RESULTS: According to a walking ability test for elderly people, 5 IE were at level 4 and the others were at level 5 (the highest). Among DE, only 1 subject was at level 2 and the others were at level 1 (the lowest). All accelerometers significantly underestimated metabolic equivalents (METs) at all walking speeds in IE (LC: 11.1 to 16.8%, ASP: 6.8 to 10.2%), and the underestimation by AM was greatest with underestimation of 19.6%, 29.1%, and 36.6% at low, normal, and high speeds, respectively. The results were similar in DE at low and normal walking speeds, whereas all accelerometers performed well at the high walking speed. Significant underestimation was found across trials in the DE+CANE (LC: 46.1%, AM: 39.5%, ASP: 27.0% at normal walking speed) and DE+WALKER (LC: 40.4%, AM: 28.9%, ASP: 23.5% at normal walking speed) groups. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that uni- and tri-axial accelerometers often underestimate energy costs during walking in both healthy and frail elderly. In particular, it should be noted that greater underestimation may occur in frail elderly who walk with assistive equipment.

Time-varying behaviour, test–retest reliability and concurrent validity of lateral trunk lean and toe-out angles during prolonged treadmill walking

Lateral trunk lean over the stance limb and toeing-out are potential adaptive gait mechanisms that reduce knee joint loading. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the time-varying behaviour, the test–retest reliability and the concurrent validity of lateral trunk lean angle and toe-out angle during prolonged walking in healthy adults. Twenty healthy volunteers (51±8 years, 12 females) completed two test sessions at least 24h apart but within the same week. For each participant, at each session, three-dimensional gait kinematics were assessed intermittently during 60min of treadmill walking. Additionally, over-ground three-dimensional gait analysis was performed immediately before and after the treadmill walking. Maximum lateral trunk lean angle and maximum toe-out angle did not change over time (p>0.05), were consistent from day to day (test–retest reliability: ICC=0.61–0.72 and 0.90–0.95, respectively) and were consistent with over-ground measures (concurrent validity: ICC=0.88 and 0.92, respectively). These findings suggest that lateral trunk lean angle and toe-out angle are consistent during prolonged walking and that these measures are reliable and valid for use in studying adaptive gait mechanisms.

Effects of age and walking speed on coactivation and cost of walking in healthy adults

Our goal was to determine how age and walking speed affect metabolic cost of walking ( C w), lower, extremity antagonist coactivation, and relationships between coactivation and C w in healthy, active, individuals. Fourteen young (25 ± 3 years) and 14 older (71 ± 4 years) participants walked on a treadmill at, four speeds (0.89, 1.12, 1.34, and 1.57 m s −1) while electromyography (EMG) and oxygen consumption, were measured. Coactivation indices were calculated for musculature about the thigh and shank. C w, was higher in older adults across all speeds ( p < 0.001). Coactivation about the thigh was also higher in, older adults ( p < 0.001), whereas coactivation about the shank was not different between age groups ( p = 0.60). Total coactivation (thigh coactivation plus shank coactivation) showed significant positive, relationships to C w at all walking speeds ( r = 0.46–0.57). Higher C w and coactivation in older adults, along with the positive relationship between C w and coactivation implies coactivation contributes to, higher C w of older adults.

Reliability of the TekScan MatScan®system for the measurement of plantar forces and pressures during barefoot level walking in healthy adults

BackgroundPlantar pressure systems are increasingly being used to evaluate foot function in both research settings and in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of the TekScan MatScan® system in assessing plantar forces and pressures during barefoot level walking.MethodsThirty participants were assessed for the reliability of measurements taken one week apart for the variables maximum force, peak pressure and average pressure. The following seven regions of the foot were investigated; heel, midfoot, 3rd-5th metatarsophalangeal joint, 2nd metatarsophalangeal joint, 1st metatarsophalangeal joint, hallux and the lesser toes.ResultsReliability was assessed using both the mean and the median values of three repeated trials. The system displayed moderate to good reliability of mean and median calculations for the three analysed variables across all seven regions, as indicated by intra-class correlation coefficients ranging from 0.44 to 0.95 for the mean and 0.54 to 0.97 for the median, and coefficients of variation ranging from 5 to 20% for the mean and 3 to 23% for the median. Selecting the median value of three repeated trials yielded slightly more reliable results than the mean.ConclusionsThese findings indicate that the TekScan MatScan® system demonstrates generally moderate to good reliability.

Analysis of plantar foot pressure distribution for walking direction switch during walking in healthy adults

Analysis of plantar foot pressure distribution for walking direction switch during walking in healthy adults

Freely-Paced Walking In Healthy Adults Does Not Meet Minimum Intensity Guidelines For Health Improvement

Walking is a very popular form of physical activity and a brisk walking pace is often advised as a form of exercise. However, in order for exercise to enhance fitness it should be of sufficient intensity to elicit at least 50% of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and it is not known if a brisk walk in healthy adults elicits this 50% of VO2max. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if healthy adults achieve 50% of VO2max when instructed to engage in a brisk walk and to determine if a difference in intensity exists when walking on a treadmill (TM) or in a non-treadmill (NT) setting. Fourty healthy subjects (20 males and 20 females), aged 19 to 45 years, were recruited to participate in this study. Subjects underwent body composition assessment and measurement of VO2max to determine the corresponding heart rate at 50% of VO2max. Subjects then completed two 20-minute sessions of brisk walking on either a treadmill or in a non-treadmill setting with heart rate measurement used to assess exercise intensity. As determined during the measurement of VO2max, subjects were required to exercise at a heart rate of 131.7 ± 8.4 beats.min-1 in order to attain 50% of VO2max. However, the heart rates were significantly (p < 0.05) below that required to attain 50% of VO2max during TM (107.2 ± 17.5 beats.min-1) and NT (105.6 ± 17.1 beats.min-1). No differences were found between TM versus NT and males versus females. However, males took significantly (p < 0.05) fewer steps than females during TM (2484 steps ± 527 versus 2789 steps ± 428, respectively) and NT (2435 steps ± 471 vs. 2789 steps ± 353, respectively). The present data indicates that healthy adults do not walk at sufficient intensity to enhance fitness during a 20-minute brisk walk. Since most adults attain approximately 5000 steps per day and it is suggested that individuals take at least 10000 steps a day in order to promote health, it appears that adults need at least 38 minutes of walking to achieve 10000 steps per day at the recommended walking pace of the present investigation.

P1.055 Effects of dividing attention with auditory versus visual stimuli during level and obstructed walking in healthy adults

P1.055 Effects of dividing attention with auditory versus visual stimuli during level and obstructed walking in healthy adults

Arm constraint and walking in healthy adults

The aim of the present study was to examine the functional adaptations in inter-segmental coordination when constraining one arm in healthy adults during treadmill walking at different velocities. Subjects were instructed to walk on a motorized treadmill at different walking velocities (range: 0.22–1.52 m/s) during three experimental conditions, i.e.: (1) no arm constraint, (2) dominant arm constrained, and (3) non-dominant arm constrained. Movements of body segments were recorded with a 3D motion analysis system. A comparison between walking with one arm constrained and normal walking revealed decreased, transverse pelvic, thoracic, and trunk rotation, however there were slight increases in non-constrained arm movement amplitude. Reduced arm movement amplitude did result in altered frequency and phase relations between the arm and leg. Persons with upper extremity movement dysfunction may walk slower due to atypical coordination between upper and lower body movement at higher walking velocities. Future studies should focus on examining the underlying dynamics of adaptations in inter-limb and trunk coordination during walking in both healthy adults and persons with upper extremity movement disorders.

Muscle mechanical work and elastic energy utilization during walking and running near the preferred gait transition speed

Mechanical and metabolic energy conservation is considered to be a defining characteristic in many common motor tasks. During human gait, the storage and return of elastic energy in compliant structures is an important energy saving mechanism that may reduce the necessary muscle fiber work and be an important determinant of the preferred gait mode (i.e., walk or run) at a given speed. In the present study, the mechanical work done by individual muscle fibers and series-elastic elements (SEE) was quantified using a musculoskeletal model and forward dynamical simulations that emulated a group of young healthy adults walking and running above and below the preferred walk-run transition speed (PTS), and potential advantages associated with the muscle fiber-SEE interactions during these gait modes at each speed were assessed. The simulations revealed that: (1) running below the PTS required more muscle fiber work than walking, and inversely, walking above the PTS required more muscle fiber work than running, and (2) SEE utilization in running was greater above than below the PTS. These results support previous suggestions that muscle mechanical energy expenditure is an important determinant for the preferred gait mode at a given speed.

Frontal and sagittal plane analyses of the stair climbing task in healthy adults aged over 40 years: what are the challenges compared to level walking?

Objective. This study compared stair climbing and level walking in healthy adults aged over 40 years. Design. Eleven subjects performed at their comfortable speed. Background. The number of parameters studied during stair climbing has been limited, in particular in the frontal plane. Methods. Time–distance parameters and three-dimensional kinematic data were obtained using foot-switches and an Optotrak system. Ground reaction forces were collected with a force platform embedded in the second step of the staircase or in the ground for level walking. Relative angles were calculated using a Cardanic rotation matrix and the net moments and the powers at the ankle, knee and hip joints were estimated with an inverse dynamic approach. Results. A significant longer mean cycle duration and a shorter proportion of time in stance was obtained for stair climbing as compared to level walking. Profiles of the frontal plane joint angles, moments and powers indicated a different action of the hip abductors across tasks to control the pelvis in stance. Profiles of the sagittal plane confirmed the dominant role of the knee extensors during stair climbing but revealed also a knee-hip energy generation pattern that allows the avoidance of the intermediate step. Conclusions. Results suggest environment specific adaptations of the neuro-musculo-skeletal system that should be considered in the rehabilitation of stair climbing in patients. Relevance This study highlights the challenges of stair climbing compared to level walking in a within subject design. Key features of stair climbing that are important for the rehabilitation of step management are also reported.

Corticospinal input in human gait: modulation of magnetically evoked motor responses

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the motor cortex was applied during locomotion to investigate the significance of corticospinal input upon the gait pattern. Evoked motor responses (EMR) were studied in the electromyogram (EMG) of tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius (GM) and, for reference, abductor digiti minimi (AD) muscles by applying below-threshold magnetic stimuli during treadmill walking in healthy adults. Averages of 15 stimuli introduced randomly at each of 16 phases of the stride cycle were analysed. Phase-dependent amplitude modulation of EMR was present in TA and GM which did not always parallel the gait-associated modulation of the EMG activity. No variation of onset latency of the EMR was observed. The net modulatory response was calculated by comparing EMR amplitudes during gait with EMR amplitudes obtained (at corresponding background EMG activities) during tonic voluntary muscle contraction. Large net responses in both muscles occurred prior to or during phasic changes of EMG activity in the locomotor pattern. This facilitation of EMR was significantly higher in leg flexor than extensor muscles, with maxima in TA prior to and during late swing phase. A comparison of this facilitation of TA EMR prior to swing phase and prior to a phasic voluntary foot dorsiflexion revealed a similar onset but an increased amount of early facilitation in the gait condition. The modulated facilitation of EMR during locomotion could in part be explained by spinal effects which are different under dynamic and static motor conditions. However, we suggest that changes in corticospinal excitability during gait are also reflected in this facilitation. This suggestion is based on: (1) the similar onset yet dissimilar size of facilitatory effects in TA EMR prior to the swing phase of the stride cycle and during a voluntary dynamic activation, (2) the inverse variation of EMR and EMG amplitudes during this phase, and (3) the occurrence of this inversion at stimulation strengths below motor threshold (motor threshold was determined during weak tonic contraction and EMR were facilitated during gait). It is hypothesized that the facilitation is phase linked to ensure postural stability and is most effective during the phases prior to and during rhythmical activation of the leg muscles resulting in anticipatory adjustment of the locomotor pattern.

Influence of temporal and spatial constraints on walking in healthy adults

River flow and quality data, including chlorophyll-a as a surrogate for river phytoplankton biomass, were collated for the River Ouse catchment in NE England, which according to established criteria is a largely unpolluted network. Against these data, a daily river quality model (QUESTOR) was setup and successfully tested. Following a review, a river quality classification scheme based on phytoplankton biomass was proposed. Based on climate change predictions the model indicated that a shift from present day oligotrophic/mesotrophic conditions to a mesotrophic/eutrophic system could occur by 2080. Management options were evaluated to mitigate against this predicted decline in quality. Reducing nutrient pollution was found to be less effective at suppressing phytoplankton growth than the less costly option of establishing riparian shading. In the Swale tributary, ongoing efforts to reduce phosphorus loads in sewage treatment works will only reduce peak (95th percentile) phytoplankton by 11%, whereas a reduction of 44% is possible if riparian tree cover is also implemented. Likewise, in the Ure, whilst reducing nitrate loads by curtailing agriculture in the headwaters may bring about a 10% reduction, riparian shading would instead reduce levels by 47%. Such modelling studies are somewhat limited by insufficient field data but offer a potentially very valuable tool to assess the most cost-effective methods of tackling effects of eutrophication.

Split-belt walking in healthy adults

Split-belt walking in healthy adults