Changes in human walking dynamics induced by uneven terrain are reduced with ongoing exposure, but a higher variability persists.

ABSTRACT: During walking, uneven terrain alters the action of the ground reaction force from stride to stride. The extent to which such environmental inconsistencies are withstood may be revealed by the regulation of whole-body angular momentum (L) during walking. L quantifies the balance of momenta of the body segments (thigh, trunk, etc.) about their combined center of mass, and remains close to zero during level walking. A failure to constrain L has been linked to falls. The aim of this study was to explore the ability of young adults to orchestrate their movement on uneven terrain, illustrated by the range of L (L_R) and its variability (vL_R). In eleven male adults, we observed significant increases in sagittal plane L_R, and vL_R in all three planes of m

SUBMITTER: Kent JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6881352 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature