An in-depth look at shallow-water walking: the mechanical determinants of the energy metabolic cost of shallow water walking in humans.

ABSTRACT: Human locomotion in water involves unique forces (buoyancy, drag) influencing metabolic cost. However, a validated model integrating these forces to predict the cost of transport (COT) during shallow water walking (SWW) is lacking, and energetic optimization strategies remain unclear compared to terrestrial gaits. We measured the COT in nine healthy men during SWW across four immersion depths (knee to xiphoid) and four walking speeds (0.2-0.8 m/s). We developed and validated a physiomechanical model based on the mechanical work done against buoyancy-affected body weight and hydrodynamic drag. Using this model, we compared the energetics of SWW with swimming and dry land walking (including hypogravity conditions) and analyzed self-selected walking speeds. The minimum COT occurred at hip imm

SUBMITTER: Ivaniski-Mello A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12698785 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature