Abstract
Gordon KE, Ferris DP, Kuo AD. Metabolic and mechanical energy costs of reducing vertical
center of mass movement during gait.
Objectives
To test the hypothesis that reducing vertical center of mass (COM) displacement will
lower the metabolic cost of human walking. To examine changes in joint work associated
with increasing and decreasing vertical COM movement during gait.
Design
Randomized repeated measures.
Setting
Human Neuromechanics Laboratory, University of Michigan.
Participants
Able-bodied subjects (N=10).
Interventions
Subjects walked at 1.2m/s on a treadmill and overground. Subjects manipulated vertical
COM displacement either by adjusting stride length or by using visual feedback to
reduce COM movement.
Main Outcome Measures
We measured kinematic and kinetic data to calculate vertical and lateral COM displacements,
joint torques, and work. In addition, we collected oxygen consumption to calculated
metabolic power.
Results
Increasing and decreasing vertical COM displacement beyond subjects' preferred range
resulted in increases in the metabolic cost of walking. When vertical COM displacement
was reduced, corresponding increases in positive ankle and hip work and negative knee
work were observed.
Conclusions
Humans are capable of walking in a manner that will reduce COM displacement from normal.
Decreasing vertical COM movement results in increases in metabolic energy costs because
of greater mechanical work performed at the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Thus, reducing
vertical COM movement is not a successful strategy for improving either metabolic
or mechanical energy economy during normal walking by able-bodied subjects.
Key Words
List of Abbreviations:
ANOVA (analysis of variance), COM (center of mass), PSL (preferred stride length), VFB (visual feedback), V̇o2 (oxygen consumption)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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© 2009 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
