Control of Leg Movement During Walking
Author Information
Author(s): Jonathan Shemmell, Jennifer Johansson, Vanessa Portra, Gerald L Gottlieb, James S Thomas, Daniel M Corcos
Primary Institution: Neuromuscular Research Center, Boston University
Hypothesis
The study tests whether the control of leg swing during gait can be simplified through a linear relationship between dynamic torques at the joints.
Conclusion
The study concludes that the control of leg swing during gait is simplified by a single motor command that can dictate the torque at all three joints.
Supporting Evidence
- Increases in walking speed were associated with increases in the range of motion and magnitude of torque at each joint.
- The angular displacements of the three joints were accounted for by two principal components during the swing phase.
- A single principal component accounted for 93.8% of the variance in dynamic joint torques during the swing phase.
Takeaway
When we walk, our legs move together in a way that makes it easier for our brain to control them, like using one command to tell all the joints what to do.
Methodology
Participants walked at three different speeds while their joint angles and torques were measured using motion analysis.
Limitations
The study only included neurologically normal individuals, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other populations.
Participant Demographics
28 healthy adults (14 female, 14 male), aged 20-34 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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