Comparison of the metabolic energy cost of overground and treadmill walking in older adults

Abstract

We assessed whether the metabolic energy cost of walking was higher when measured overground or on a treadmill in a population of healthy older adults. We also assessed the association between the two testing modes. Participants (n = 20, 14 men and 6 women aged between 65 and 83 years of age) were randomly divided into two groups. Half of them went through the overground-treadmill sequence while the other half did the opposite order. A familiarization visit was held for each participant prior to the actual testing. For both modes of testing, five walking speeds were experimented (0.67, 0.89, 1.11, 1.33 and 1.67 m s(-1)). Oxygen uptake was monitored for all walking speeds. We found a significant difference between treadmill and track metabolic energy cost of walking, whatever the walking speed. The results show that walking on the treadmill requires more metabolic energy than walking overground for all experimental speeds (P < 0.05). The association between both measures was low to moderate (0.17 < ICC < 0.65), and the standard error of measurement represented 6.9-15.7% of the average value. These data indicate that metabolic energy cost of walking results from a treadmill test does not necessarily apply in daily overground activities. Interventions aiming at reducing the metabolic energy cost of walking should be assessed with the same mode as it was proposed during the intervention. If the treadmill mode is necessary for any purposes, functional overground walking tests should be implemented to obtain a more complete and specific evaluation.

Pilot investigation of the oxygen demands and metabolic cost of incremental shuttle walking and treadmill walking in patients with cardiovascular disease

“…As walking speed increased (1.6–1.8 m/s) the energy cost again began to increase. This is comparable to Berryman et al ,21 who reported a similar energy cost pattern for their participants (healthy elderly aged 68.9±4.6 years) when walking on a treadmill at speeds ranging from 0.67–1.56 m/s and the optimal walking speed was 1.33 m/s. Furthermore, our results also suggest that at lower speeds (0.50–0.84 m/s), the energy cost of walking on a treadmill is greater than on the ground.…”

“…Furthermore, our results also suggest that at lower speeds (0.50–0.84 m/s), the energy cost of walking on a treadmill is greater than on the ground. Berryman et al 21 also showed that there was greater energy cost of treadmill walking compared with ground walking at all the speeds they tested. The reason for the increased energy cost may be due to a greater need for stabilisation via muscular contraction while treadmill walking than when walking on the ground 21…”

Treadmill Training Improves Overground Walking Economy in Parkinson’s Disease: A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Study

“…To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare the energy cost of overground vs. treadmill walking in PD patients. Our results are in line with previous studies conducted in healthy elderly subjects (15, 16). In our study, the higher metabolic cost on the treadmill is unlikely to be due to changes in the kinematics parameters since these did not differ between the overground and treadmill walking conditions.…”

Test–Retest Reliability and Minimum Detectable Change Using the K4b2: Oxygen Consumption, Gait Efficiency, and Heart Rate for Healthy Adults During Submaximal Walking

“…The MDC values may also be of use in interpreting changes in clinical populations who have not otherwise had test–retest reliability established, as it is unlikely that patient groups will demonstrate MDC values lower than those of healthy adults. However, the benchmarks established in this manuscript are most appropriate for use in interpreting data collected during treadmill walking because physiological gait performance for over-ground and treadmill walking may not be equivalent (Berryman et al, 2012). …”