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Kinematic strategies for walking across a destabilizing rock surface.

ABSTRACT: It is important to understand how people adapt their gait when walking in real-world conditions with variable surface characteristics. This study quantified lower-extremity joint kinematics, estimated whole body center of mass height (COM(VT)), and minimum toe clearance (MTC) while 15 healthy, young subjects walked on level ground (LG) and a destabilizing loose rock surface (RS) at four controlled speeds. There were no significant differences in average step parameters (length, time, or width) between the walking surfaces. However, the variability of these parameters increased twofold on the RS compared to LG. When walking on the RS, subjects contacted the surface with a flatter foot and increased knee and hip flexion, which enabled them to lower COM(VT). Subjects exhibited increased hip and knee flexion and ankle dorsiflexion during swing on the RS. These changes contributed to a 3.8 times greater MTC on the RS compared to LG. Peak hip and knee flexion during early stance and swing increased with walking speed, contributing to decreased COM(VT) and increased MTC. Overall, subjects systematically adapted their movement kinematics to overcome the challenge imposed by the destabilizing loose rock surface.

SUBMITTER: Gates DH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3262902 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Kinematic strategies for walking across a destabilizing rock surface.

Gates Deanna H DH Wilken Jason M JM Scott Shawn J SJ Sinitski Emily H EH Dingwell Jonathan B JB

Gait & posture 20110903 1

It is important to understand how people adapt their gait when walking in real-world conditions with variable surface characteristics. This study quantified lower-extremity joint kinematics, estimated whole body center of mass height (COM(VT)), and minimum toe clearance (MTC) while 15 healthy, young subjects walked on level ground (LG) and a destabilizing loose rock surface (RS) at four controlled speeds. There were no significant differences in average step parameters (length, time, or width) b ...[more]

PMID: 21890361

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Project description:BackgroundBiomechanical studies of walk, especially walk on the circle, are scarce, while circles or curved tracks are frequently used during equestrian activities. To study horse-rider-circle interactions on the circle, the first steps would be to investigate how the unridden, freely walking horse is influenced by circular movement, and then add a rider. The aim was to study horse vertical trunk movements, and sagittal cannon angles (protraction-retraction) during walk in straight-line and on the circle without rider, and on the circle with a rider using minimal influence.MethodsTen horses were ridden by five riders, summing to 14 trials. Each trial included straight walk unridden (on concrete), and walk on 10 m diameter circles (left and right on soft surface) first lunged (unridden) and then ridden with minimal rider influence. Inertial measurement units (100 Hz) were positioned on the withers, third sacral vertebra (S3) and laterally on metacarpal and metatarsal bones (using self-adhesive bandage). Selected data were split in steps (withers and S3 vertical translations) or strides (cannon protraction-retraction) at maximum hind limb protraction, and range of motion (ROM), minima and maxima, and their timing, were extracted. Data were analyzed using mixed models with inner/outer/straight nested within unridden/ridden as fixed effect, and controlling for stride duration. Differences between: inner vs outer steps/limbs; the same step/limb unridden vs ridden; and the same step/limb straight vs inner/outer unridden; were examined for statistical significance at p < 0.05.ResultsInner limbs had smaller cannon ROM than outer limbs, for example, forelimbs when ridden (inner vs outer 62° vs 63°) and hind limbs when unridden (53° vs 56°). Forelimb cannon ROM was the largest for straight (65°). Hind limb ROM for straight walk (55°) was in-between inner (52-53°) and outer hind limbs (56-57°). Vertical ROM of S3 was larger during the inner (unridden/ridden 0.050/0.052 m) vs the outer step (unridden/ridden 0.049/0.051 m). Inner (0.050 m) and outer steps (0.049 m) unridden had smaller S3 ROM compared to straight steps (unridden, 0.054 m). Compared to when unridden, withers ROM was smaller when ridden: inner hind steps unridden/ridden 0.020 vs 0.015 m and outer hind steps 0.020 vs 0.013 m. When ridden, withers ROM was larger during the inner hind step vs the outer.ConclusionThe outer hind limb had greater cannon pro-retraction ROM, compared to the inner limb. Larger croup ROM during the inner step appears to be coupled to increased retraction of the outer hind limb. Knowledge of magnitudes and timing of the horse's movements on the circle in unridden and ridden walk may stimulate riders to educate eye and feel in analyzing the execution of circles, and stimulate further studies of the walk, for example, on interactions with rider influence, natural horse asymmetries, or lameness.

Project description:BackgroundPersons with lower limb amputation often experience decreased physical capacity, difficulty walking, and increased fall risk. To either prevent or recover from a loss of balance, one must effectively regulate their stepping movements. It is therefore critical to identify how well persons with amputation regulate stepping. Here, we used a multi-objective control framework based on Goal Equivalent Manifolds to identify how persons with transtibial amputation (TTA) regulate lateral stepping while walking without and with lateral perturbations.Research questionWhen walking in destabilizing environments, do otherwise healthy persons with TTA exhibit greater difficulty regulating lateral stepping due to impaired control? Or do they instead continue to use similar strategies to regulate lateral stepping despite their amputation?MethodsEight persons with unilateral TTA and thirteen able-bodied (AB) controls walked in a virtual environment under three conditions: no perturbations, laterally oscillating visual field, and laterally oscillating treadmill platform. We analyzed step-to-step time series of step widths and absolute lateral body positions. We computed means, standard deviations and Detrended Fluctuation Analysis scaling exponents for each time series and computed how much participants directly corrected step width and position deviations at each step. We compared our results to computational predictions to identify the underlying causes of our experimental findings.ResultsAll participants exhibited significantly increased variability, decreased scaling exponents, and tighter direct control when perturbed. Simulations from our stepping regulation models revealed that people responded to the increased variability produced by the imposed perturbations by tightening their control of both step width and lateral position. Participants with TTA exhibited only a few minor differences from AB in lateral stepping regulation, even when subjected to substantially destabilizing lateral perturbations.SignificanceSince control of stepping is intrinsically multi-objective, developing effective interventions to reduce fall risk in persons with amputation will likely require strategies that adopt multi-objective approaches.

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Kinematic strategies for walking across a destabilizing rock surface.

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Kinematic strategies for walking across a destabilizing rock surface.

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