Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 253-259 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Gait and Posture |
| Volume | 80 |
| Early online date | 28 May 2020 |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2020 |
Abstract
Background: During everyday locomotion, we cope with various internal or external perturbations (e.g. uneven surface). Uncertainty exists on how unpredictable external perturbations increase noise within the motor system and if they are compensated by employing covariation of the limb joints or rather due to decreased sensitivity of an altered posture. Research question: Do continuous stochastic perturbations affect the structure of gait variability in young and healthy adults? Methods: In a cross-over study, gait kinematics of 21 healthy young sports students were registered during treadmill walking with and without continuous stochastic perturbations. Using the TNC method, the following aspects were analyzed: (a) the sensitivity of body posture to perturbations (‘tolerance’) decreasing gait variability, (b) the unstructured motor ‘noise’ increasing gait variability and (c) the amount of ‘covariation’ of the limb joints. Results: Compared to normal walking, gait variability was significantly increased (p < .001) during walking with perturbations. The negative effect of noise was partly compensated by improved ‘covariation’ of leg joints (p < .001). The aspect ‘tolerance’ had a small effect on increasing gait variability during stance phase (p < .001) and decreasing gait variability during swing phase (p < .001). Significance: Increased motor noise due to external perturbations is partly compensated by improved covariation of the limb joints. However, the effect of an altered posture slightly affects gait variability. Further studies should focus on different populations (e.g. older participants) to see if they use the same mechanism (improved covariation) to compensate for stochastic perturbations.
Keywords
- Gait stability, Gait variability, Minimum toe clearance, Stochastic perturbations, TNC
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Biophysics
- Medicine(all)
- Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
- Medicine(all)
- Rehabilitation
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In: Gait and Posture, Vol. 80, 07.2020, p. 253-259.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Compensation of stochastic time-continuous perturbations during walking in healthy young adults
T2 - An analysis of the structure of gait variability
AU - Koch, Monique
AU - Eckardt, Nils
AU - Zech, Astrid
AU - Hamacher, Daniel
PY - 2020/7
Y1 - 2020/7
N2 - Background: During everyday locomotion, we cope with various internal or external perturbations (e.g. uneven surface). Uncertainty exists on how unpredictable external perturbations increase noise within the motor system and if they are compensated by employing covariation of the limb joints or rather due to decreased sensitivity of an altered posture. Research question: Do continuous stochastic perturbations affect the structure of gait variability in young and healthy adults? Methods: In a cross-over study, gait kinematics of 21 healthy young sports students were registered during treadmill walking with and without continuous stochastic perturbations. Using the TNC method, the following aspects were analyzed: (a) the sensitivity of body posture to perturbations (‘tolerance’) decreasing gait variability, (b) the unstructured motor ‘noise’ increasing gait variability and (c) the amount of ‘covariation’ of the limb joints. Results: Compared to normal walking, gait variability was significantly increased (p < .001) during walking with perturbations. The negative effect of noise was partly compensated by improved ‘covariation’ of leg joints (p < .001). The aspect ‘tolerance’ had a small effect on increasing gait variability during stance phase (p < .001) and decreasing gait variability during swing phase (p < .001). Significance: Increased motor noise due to external perturbations is partly compensated by improved covariation of the limb joints. However, the effect of an altered posture slightly affects gait variability. Further studies should focus on different populations (e.g. older participants) to see if they use the same mechanism (improved covariation) to compensate for stochastic perturbations.
AB - Background: During everyday locomotion, we cope with various internal or external perturbations (e.g. uneven surface). Uncertainty exists on how unpredictable external perturbations increase noise within the motor system and if they are compensated by employing covariation of the limb joints or rather due to decreased sensitivity of an altered posture. Research question: Do continuous stochastic perturbations affect the structure of gait variability in young and healthy adults? Methods: In a cross-over study, gait kinematics of 21 healthy young sports students were registered during treadmill walking with and without continuous stochastic perturbations. Using the TNC method, the following aspects were analyzed: (a) the sensitivity of body posture to perturbations (‘tolerance’) decreasing gait variability, (b) the unstructured motor ‘noise’ increasing gait variability and (c) the amount of ‘covariation’ of the limb joints. Results: Compared to normal walking, gait variability was significantly increased (p < .001) during walking with perturbations. The negative effect of noise was partly compensated by improved ‘covariation’ of leg joints (p < .001). The aspect ‘tolerance’ had a small effect on increasing gait variability during stance phase (p < .001) and decreasing gait variability during swing phase (p < .001). Significance: Increased motor noise due to external perturbations is partly compensated by improved covariation of the limb joints. However, the effect of an altered posture slightly affects gait variability. Further studies should focus on different populations (e.g. older participants) to see if they use the same mechanism (improved covariation) to compensate for stochastic perturbations.
KW - Gait stability
KW - Gait variability
KW - Minimum toe clearance
KW - Stochastic perturbations
KW - TNC
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85086462345&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2020.05.040
DO - 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2020.05.040
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85086462345
VL - 80
SP - 253
EP - 259
JO - Gait and Posture
JF - Gait and Posture
SN - 0966-6362
ER -