Dynamic gait stability of treadmill versus overground walking in young adults

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of the published prediction equations for determining level overground walking energy cost in young adults. Methods: In total, 148 healthy young adults volunteered to participate in this study. Resting metabolic rate and energy expenditure variables at speeds of 4, 5, and 6 km/h were measured by indirect calorimetry, walking energy expenditure was estimated by 3 published equations. Results: The gross and net metabolic rate per mile of level overground walking increased with increased speed (all P < .01). Females were less economical than males. The present findings revealed that the American College of Sports Medicine and Pandolf et al equations significantly underestimated the energy cost of overground walking at all speeds (all P < .01) in young adults. The percentage mean bias for American College of Sports Medicine, Pandolf et al, and Weyand et al was 12.4%, 16.8%, 1.4% (4 km/h); 21.6%, 15.8%, 7.1% (5 km/h); and 27.6%, 12%, 6.6% (6 km/h). Bland–Altman plots and prediction error analysis showed that the Weyand et al was the most accurate in 3 existing equations. Conclusions: The Weyand et al equation appears to be the most suitable for the prediction of overground walking energy expenditure in young adults.

Download Full-text

Changes in Spatiotemporal Measures and Variability During User-Driven Treadmill, Fixed-Speed Treadmill, and Overground Walking in Young Adults: A Pilot Study

Journal of Applied Biomechanics ◽

10.1123/jab.2020-0109 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

Hillary H. Holmes ◽

Randall T. Fawcett ◽

Jaimie A. Roper

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Motor Control ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Human Health ◽

Gait Cycle ◽

Walking Speed ◽

Treadmill Walking ◽

Overground Walking ◽

Control Patterns ◽

Integral Indicator

Walking is an integral indicator of human health commonly investigated while walking overground and with the use of a treadmill. Unlike fixed-speed treadmills, overground walking is dependent on the preferred walking speed under the individuals’ control. Thus, user-driven treadmills may have the ability to better simulate the characteristics of overground walking. This pilot study is the first investigation to compare a user-driven treadmill, a fixed-speed treadmill, and overground walking to understand differences in variability and mean spatiotemporal measures across walking environments. Participants walked fastest overground compared to both fixed and user-driven treadmill conditions. However, gait cycle speed variability in the fixed-speed treadmill condition was significantly lower than the user-driven and overground conditions, with no significant differences present between overground and user-driven treadmill walking. The lack of differences in variability between the user-driven treadmill and overground walking may indicate that the user-driven treadmill can better simulate the variability of overground walking, potentially leading to more natural adaptation and motor control patterns of walking.

Download Full-text

Comparison of plantar pressure profile of young adults during training on elliptical devices and overground walking: A pilot study

The Foot ◽

10.1016/j.foot.2020.101716 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 45 ◽

pp. 101716

Author(s):

Guilherme M. Cesar ◽

Thad W. Buster ◽

Judith M. Burnfield

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Plantar Pressure ◽

Pressure Profile ◽

Overground Walking

Download Full-text

Test–Retest Reliability and the Effects of Walking Speed on Stride Time Variability During Continuous, Overground Walking in Healthy Young Adults

Journal of Applied Biomechanics ◽

10.1123/jab.2020-0138 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Nicholas S. Ryan ◽

Paul A. Bruno ◽

John M. Barden

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Walking Speed ◽

Time Variability ◽

Clinical Settings ◽

Stride Time ◽

Real Difference ◽

Overground Walking ◽

Retest Reliability ◽

Intraclass Correlations ◽

Test Retest Reliability

Studies have investigated the reliability and effect of walking speed on stride time variability during walking trials performed on a treadmill. The objective of this study was to investigate the reliability of stride time variability and the effect of walking speed on stride time variability, during continuous, overground walking in healthy young adults. Participants completed: (1) 2 walking trials at their preferred walking speed on 1 day and another trial 2 to 4 days later and (2) 1 trial at their preferred walking speed, 1 trial approximately 20% to 25% faster than their preferred walking speed, and 1 trial approximately 20% to 25% slower than their preferred walking speed on a separate day. Data from a waist-mounted accelerometer were used to determine the consecutive stride times for each trial. The reliability of stride time variability outcomes was generally poor (intraclass correlations: .167–.487). Although some significant differences in stride time variability were found between the preferred walking speed, fast, and slow trials, individual between-trial differences were generally below the estimated minimum difference considered to be a real difference. The development of a protocol to improve the reliability of stride time variability outcomes during continuous, overground walking would be beneficial to improve their application in research and clinical settings.

Download Full-text

Effects of a Dual-Task Paradigm and Gait Velocity on Dynamic Gait Stability during Stair Descent

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app10061979 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 1979 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Qipeng Song ◽

Wei Sun ◽

Cui Zhang ◽

Min Mao ◽

Li Li

Keyword(s):

Dual Task ◽

Center Of Pressure ◽

Force Plate ◽

Gait Velocity ◽

Task Condition ◽

Dual Task Condition ◽

Gait Stability ◽

Single Task ◽

Dual Task Paradigm ◽

Dynamic Gait

Falls during stair negotiation have become one of the leading causes of accidental death. The effects of a concurrent cognitive or manual dual-task paradigm on dynamic gait stability remain uncertain. How much dynamic gait stability is influenced by gait velocity is also not clear. A total of 16 healthy young females descended a staircase under three different walking conditions: descend stairs only (single task), descend stairs while performing subtraction (cognitive dual-task), and descend stairs while carrying a glass of water (manual dual-task). An eight-camera Vicon motion analysis system and a Kistler force plate embedded into the third step of the staircase were used synchronously to collect kinematic and kinetic data. Gait velocity decreased and dynamic gait stability increased with both cognitive and manual dual-task conditions. The center of mass–center of pressure inclination angle increased with gait velocity but decreased with the manual dual-task condition compared to the single-task condition. Changes in gait velocity caused by the dual-task paradigm can partially explain the effects of dual-task dynamic gait stability. The influence of gait velocity should be considered in the assessment of dual-task effects.

Download Full-text