TY - JOUR
T1 - Gait transitions in simulated reduced gravity
AU - Ivanenko, Yuri P.
AU - Labini, Francesca Sylos
AU - Cappellini, Germana
AU - Macellari, Velio
AU - McIntyre, Joseph
AU - Lacquaniti, Francesco
PY - 2011/3/1
Y1 - 2011/3/1
N2 - Ivanenko YP, Sylos Labini F, Cappellini G, Macellari V, McIntyre J, Lacquaniti F. Gait transitions in simulated reduced gravity. J Appl Physiol 110: 781-788, 2011. First published January 6, 2011; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00799. 2010.-Gravity has a strong effect on gait and the speed of gait transitions. A gait has been defined as a pattern of locomotion that changes discontinuously at the transition to another gait. On Earth, during gradual speed changes, humans exhibit a sudden discontinuous switch from walking to running at a specific speed. To study the effects of altered gravity on both the stance and swing legs, we developed a novel unloading exoskeleton that allows a person to step in simulated reduced gravity by tilting the body relative to the vertical. Using different simulation techniques, we confirmed that at lower gravity levels the transition speed is slower (in accordance with the previously reported Froude number ̃0.5). Surprisingly, however, we found that at lower levels of simulated gravity the transition between walking and running was generally gradual, without any noticeable abrupt change in gait parameters. This was associated with a significant prolongation of the swing phase, whose duration became virtually equal to that of stance in the vicinity of the walk-run transition speed, and with a gradual shift from inverted-pendulum gait (walking) to bouncing gait (running).
AB - Ivanenko YP, Sylos Labini F, Cappellini G, Macellari V, McIntyre J, Lacquaniti F. Gait transitions in simulated reduced gravity. J Appl Physiol 110: 781-788, 2011. First published January 6, 2011; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00799. 2010.-Gravity has a strong effect on gait and the speed of gait transitions. A gait has been defined as a pattern of locomotion that changes discontinuously at the transition to another gait. On Earth, during gradual speed changes, humans exhibit a sudden discontinuous switch from walking to running at a specific speed. To study the effects of altered gravity on both the stance and swing legs, we developed a novel unloading exoskeleton that allows a person to step in simulated reduced gravity by tilting the body relative to the vertical. Using different simulation techniques, we confirmed that at lower gravity levels the transition speed is slower (in accordance with the previously reported Froude number ̃0.5). Surprisingly, however, we found that at lower levels of simulated gravity the transition between walking and running was generally gradual, without any noticeable abrupt change in gait parameters. This was associated with a significant prolongation of the swing phase, whose duration became virtually equal to that of stance in the vicinity of the walk-run transition speed, and with a gradual shift from inverted-pendulum gait (walking) to bouncing gait (running).
KW - Dynamic similarity theory
KW - Human locomotion
KW - Kinematics
KW - Limb loading
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U2 - 10.1152/japplphysiol.00799.2010
DO - 10.1152/japplphysiol.00799.2010
M3 - Article
C2 - 21212248
AN - SCOPUS:79954616767
VL - 110
SP - 781
EP - 788
JO - Journal of Applied Physiology
JF - Journal of Applied Physiology
SN - 8750-7587
IS - 3
ER -