Simulations suggest walking with reduced propulsive force would not mitigate the energetic consequences of lower tendon stiffness.

ABSTRACT: Aging elicits numerous effects that impact both musculoskeletal structure and walking function. Tendon stiffness (kT) and push-off propulsive force (FP) both impact the metabolic cost of walking and are diminished by age, yet their interaction has not been studied. We combined experimental and computational approaches to investigate whether age-related changes in function (adopting smaller FP) may be adopted to mitigate the metabolic consequences arising from changes in structure (reduced kT). We recruited 12 young adults and asked them to walk on a force-sensing treadmill while prompting them to change FP (±20% & ±40% of typical) using targeted biofeedback. In models driven by experimental data from each of those conditions, we altered the kT of personalized musculoskeletal models across

SUBMITTER: Pimentel RE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10602298 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature