Are transitions in human gait determined by mechanical, kinetic or energetic factors?

Raynor, Annette J.; Yi, Chow Jia; Abernethy, Bruce; Jong, Quek Jin

doi:10.1016/s0167-9457(02)00180-x

Cited by 93 publications

(90 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…speed, reaches its critical value [8][9][10]20,21]. The locomotion system moved through an unstable region, situated approximately between steps À8 and 0.…”

Section: Walk-to-run Transition (Wrt)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most researchers believe that transition is an explicit event, based on findings in walking and running at different discrete constant speeds in the proximity of transition [14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. Li and Hamill [21], however, observed a gradual change in the ground reaction force pattern of the last steps before the transition point in a protocol with gradually changing speed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatiotemporal characteristics of the walk-to-run and run-to-walk transition when gradually changing speed

et al. 2006

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The purpose of this study was to examine spatiotemporal parameters of the walk-to-run transition (WRT) and run-to-walk transition (RWT) when speed is altered with different constant accelerations. Twenty women (height: 168.9 AE 3.36 cm) performed three accelerations (0.05, 0.07 and 0.1 m s À2) and three decelerations (À0.05, À0.07 and À0.1 m s À2) on a motor-driven treadmill. The transition step in the WRT (first step with a flight phase) and RWT (first step with a double stance phase) occurred at the same speed for all accelerations but these did not occur in the same way. The most striking difference was the presence of a transition step with specific spatiotemporal characteristics in the WRT, whereas this was not observed in the RWT.The transition is not a sudden one-step-event. WRT occurred before transition and consisted of a ''pre-transition period'' and the transition step whereas RWT occurred after transition and consisted of the transition step and a ''post-transition period''. Both transition periods were characterized by an exponential evolution of step frequency and step length.Step frequency and step length showed a linear evolution before and after transition.The flight phase of the transition step in the WRT reached a minimum with comparable duration of the last flight phase in the RWT. The flight phase could be considered as an intrinsic dynamical factor of transition. Further research in kinematics, the trajectory of the body centre of mass and energy fluctuations will give more insight in these transitions. #

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“…speed, reaches its critical value [8][9][10]20,21]. The locomotion system moved through an unstable region, situated approximately between steps À8 and 0.…”

Section: Walk-to-run Transition (Wrt)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatiotemporal characteristics of the walk-to-run and run-to-walk transition when gradually changing speed

et al. 2006

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“…This broad spectrum of gaits raises the question of the factors that govern gait selection. Several explanations for gait transitions have been proposed based on kinematic factors (Hreljac 1995), mechanical loading, such as musculoskeletal force (Farley & Taylor 1991) and bone strain (Biewener & Taylor 1986), muscle activation (Prilutsky & Gregor 2001), mechanical restrictions (Alexander 1984) and dynamic-systems theory (Diedrich & Warren 1995;Raynor et al 2002). Margaria (1938), who investigated the walk-run transition in humans, was among the first to report a metabolic advantage of gait selection by showing that above 2 m s -1 , approximately the speed where humans change gait, walking is metabolically more expensive than running, whereas below this speed the converse is true.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gait selection in the ostrich: mechanical and metabolic characteristics of walking and running with and without an aerial phase

Rubenson

Heliams²,

Lloyd

et al. 2004

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

175

259

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It has been argued that minimization of metabolic-energy costs is a primary determinant of gait selection in terrestrial animals. This view is based predominantly on data from humans and horses, which have been shown to choose the most economical gait (walking, running, galloping) for any given speed. It is not certain whether a minimization of metabolic costs is associated with the selection of other prevalent forms of terrestrial gaits, such as grounded running (a widespread gait in birds). Using biomechanical and metabolic measurements of four ostriches moving on a treadmill over a range of speeds from 0.8 to 6.7 m s -1 , we reveal here that the selection of walking or grounded running at intermediate speeds also favours a reduction in the metabolic cost of locomotion. This gait transition is characterized by a shift in locomotor kinetics from an inverted-pendulum gait to a bouncing gait that lacks an aerial phase. By contrast, when the ostrich adopts an aerial-running gait at faster speeds, there are no abrupt transitions in mechanical parameters or in the metabolic cost of locomotion. These data suggest a continuum between grounded and aerial running, indicating that they belong to the same locomotor paradigm.

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“…Both transitions occur at a preferred speed [5]. Nevertheless, it is not yet entirely clear why humans prefer that specific speed to change from one mode to another [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Others found evidence to reject this energy optimisation hypothesis [9][10][11][12][13]. This contradiction can be partly explained by the difficulties in directly measuring the metabolic cost [6,7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of M. tibialis anterior fatigue on the walk-to-run and run-to-walk transition in non-steady state locomotion

et al. 2007

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The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of muscular fatigue of tibialis anterior (TA) on the walk-to-run transition (WRT) and run-to-walk transition (RWT) when speed is altered at different constant accelerations (a = 0.01, 0.07 and 0.05 m s À2 ). Twenty women (height: 168.9 AE 3.36 cm) performed WRTs and RWTs on a motor-driven treadmill, before and after a protocol inducing muscular fatigue of the TA.WRT-speed decreased after TA fatigue whereas RWT-speed did not change except during the intermediate deceleration. Integrated EMG (iEMG) of the activity burst of TA around heel contact was examined in the last steps before transition, the transition step and the first steps after transition. iEMG increased before WRT, then decreased after transition to running. In the RWT the opposite was observed: iEMG increased after RWT, then decreased with decreasing walking speed. After inducing fatigue in the TA, there was a decrease in iEMG in the WRT whereas no influence of fatigue was found on iEMG in the RWT.As a result of TA fatigue, WRT occurred at a lower speed, probably to avoid over-exertion of the TA. This indicates that the TA is a likely determinant of WRT as previously reported. The RWT, on the other hand, was not altered following TA fatigue, which would indicate that WRT and RWT are determined by different factors. #

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Are transitions in human gait determined by mechanical, kinetic or energetic factors?

Cited by 93 publications

References 38 publications

Spatiotemporal characteristics of the walk-to-run and run-to-walk transition when gradually changing speed

Spatiotemporal characteristics of the walk-to-run and run-to-walk transition when gradually changing speed

Gait selection in the ostrich: mechanical and metabolic characteristics of walking and running with and without an aerial phase

Influence of M. tibialis anterior fatigue on the walk-to-run and run-to-walk transition in non-steady state locomotion

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