Human movement science · 2025
Effects of unilateral leg weight perturbation intensity on spatiotemporal gait parameter symmetry and lower limb muscle activity: An exploratory laboratory study in healthy adults.
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Motokawa Tsuyoshi, Terasawa Yuta, Nagamori Yui, Onishi Sora, Morioka Shu
Аннотация
BACKGROUND: Walking requires precise central nervous system control. Although gait adaptation and learning have been extensively investigated, the specific conditions that elicit delayed adaptation and aftereffects remain unclear.
RESEARCH QUESTION: How do slow adaptation and aftereffects influence gait parameters during walking with unilateral leg weight load perturbation?
METHODS: This exploratory laboratory study involved 15 healthy adults. The participants walked on a treadmill with a weight attached to one leg under low-weight/high-speed, high-weight/low-speed, and high-weight/high-speed conditions. Each condition comprised baseline, adaptation, and de-adaptation phases. Step length symmetry, swing time ratio, lower limb flexion-extension angles, and muscle activity during walking were recorded and assessed across conditions.
RESULTS: Slow adaptation and aftereffects in step length symmetry and leg flexion-extension angles were observed under the high-weight/high-speed condition. An immediate increase in muscle activity was detected following weight loading, primarily on the unperturbed side. This procedure was followed by gradual bilateral adaptation and aftereffects in the gastrocnemius and rectus femoris muscles on the perturbed side. Both low-weight/high-speed and high-weight/low-speed conditions induced aftereffects in step length symmetry; however, no significant changes in leg flexion-extension angles were noted. Under the low-weight/high-speed condition, bilateral muscle activity increased immediately, followed by slow adaptation in multiple muscles and aftereffects in the perturbed gastrocnemius.
SIGNIFICANCE: These findings elucidate how weight and speed perturbation intensity affect the neurological mechanisms underlying gait adaptation. High-intensity perturbation engages feedforward control and promotes central nervous system adaptation. The results may guide the development of rehabilitation strategies aimed at improving gait symmetry through unilateral leg loading.
RESEARCH QUESTION: How do slow adaptation and aftereffects influence gait parameters during walking with unilateral leg weight load perturbation?
METHODS: This exploratory laboratory study involved 15 healthy adults. The participants walked on a treadmill with a weight attached to one leg under low-weight/high-speed, high-weight/low-speed, and high-weight/high-speed conditions. Each condition comprised baseline, adaptation, and de-adaptation phases. Step length symmetry, swing time ratio, lower limb flexion-extension angles, and muscle activity during walking were recorded and assessed across conditions.
RESULTS: Slow adaptation and aftereffects in step length symmetry and leg flexion-extension angles were observed under the high-weight/high-speed condition. An immediate increase in muscle activity was detected following weight loading, primarily on the unperturbed side. This procedure was followed by gradual bilateral adaptation and aftereffects in the gastrocnemius and rectus femoris muscles on the perturbed side. Both low-weight/high-speed and high-weight/low-speed conditions induced aftereffects in step length symmetry; however, no significant changes in leg flexion-extension angles were noted. Under the low-weight/high-speed condition, bilateral muscle activity increased immediately, followed by slow adaptation in multiple muscles and aftereffects in the perturbed gastrocnemius.
SIGNIFICANCE: These findings elucidate how weight and speed perturbation intensity affect the neurological mechanisms underlying gait adaptation. High-intensity perturbation engages feedforward control and promotes central nervous system adaptation. The results may guide the development of rehabilitation strategies aimed at improving gait symmetry through unilateral leg loading.