Non-linear Changes of Lower Extremity Kinetics Prior to Gait Transition

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-22-2018

Publication Title

Journal of Biomechanics

DOI

10.1016/j.jbiomech.2018.06.022

ISSN

0021-9290

Abstract

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to examine the changes of lower extremity kinetics during walk-to-run (WR) transition and if the changes would follow a non-linear trend within the five strides before WR transition using a constant acceleration protocol.

Methods

Fourteen participants performed gait transition on the instrumented treadmill at a constant acceleration. Peak, time to peak, and movement and power of hip, knee and ankle joints were recorded and analyzed in sagittal plane for five strides before gait transition. Three Two-way MANOVA were employed to examine the differences of kinetic measures among the five strides. Univariate analysis and Post-Hoc Tukey’s test would be applied if needed. Also, Post hoc polynomial trend analyses were used to examine the trend of the kinetic measures that significantly changed during the five strides.

Results

Compared to the first four strides, significant differences were observed for peaks moments, joint powers, and time to peaks in the last stride before running at ankle, knee, and hip joints respectively. In general, the changes of kinetic variables were following a quadratic trend during the five strides before running.

Conclusion

Joint kinetic measures actively change in non-linear patterns during the five strides before running to prepare for the gait transition, indicating that the gait transition is an active reorganization rather than a passive reaction.

Comments

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