The Process of Habituation to Treadmill Walking: A Kinematic Analysis

Abstract

Initial work toward a more definitive kinematic analysis of perceptual-motor processes involved initially in accommodation of naive subjects to treadmill walking is described. The kinematic cyclograph technique holds promise of achieving this.

One-dimensional V-Scope analysis of habituation to simulated cross-country skiing

“…Furthermore, Charteris and Taves (1978) suggest that there are two phases, both part Downloaded by [McGill University Library] at 06:35 25 March 2015 of the same phenomenon, involved in treadmill habituation: (I) an initial accommodation phase, and (2) a more gradual habituation. Data from the present study tend to corroborate at least the initial accommodation phase, which may reflect adaptations made by the vestibular apparatus and other proprioceptors.…”

“…What is common to most of the definitive treadmill habituation studies (Charteris and Taves 1978, Wall and Charteris 1980, 1981, Schieb 1986) is that variability of gait kinematics is significantly reduced during the first 10 minutes of walking and running, to the extent that Wall and Charteris (1980) use 'constancy of gait' as being indicative of habituation to treadmill walking. By comparison, the results of the present study reflect a similar trend; initial (min.…”

“…Habituation studies using motorized treadmills (Charteris and Taves 1978, Wall and Charteris 1980, 1981, Schieb 1986) have controlled the velocity of movement by setting the speed at which the treadmill belt moves. Changes in gait kinematics have been assessed at pre-set, constant velocities.…”

“…Like other ergometers, in particular the treadmill, a period of habituation is necessary prior to data collection so that the results reliably represent the experimental condition. Most habituation studies have been done using motorized treadmills (Charteris and Taves 1978, Wall and Charteris 1980, 1981, Schieb 1986.…”

Changes of Ground Reaction Force and Timing Variables in the Course of Habituation of Horses to the Treadmill

“…As moving on a treadmill presents a challenge to horses, they have to be habituated to treadmill locomotion before any reliable data can be collected. In humans, the process of treadmill familiarization was described as lasting longer than 15 minutes at walk [6], 10 minutes of walk for clinical use [7], or 6 minutes at a run in young healthy adults [8]. In dogs, habituation was achieved after 1 day of treadmill exercise, regardless of the temporal workload per day [9,10].…”