Dynamic structure of variability in joint angles and center of mass position during user-driven treadmill walking.
Kelley M Kempski, Nicole T Ray, Brian A Knarr and 1 others
PMID 31082656WHAT IT FOUND
A user-driven treadmill that changed speed to match the walker produced more stride-to-stride variability in hip, knee, and ankle angles than fixed-speed treadmill in 11 healthy adults.
Center of mass variability did not change.
Key findings
01The user-driven treadmill produced greater hip, knee, and ankle joint-angle variability than the fixed-speed treadmill.
02Center of mass variability was not different between treadmill modes.
03Walking at the fastest comfortable speed increased center of mass variability across treadmill types.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 11 healthy adults were studied, so the results do not show what happens in patients with gait problems. The study did not compare treadmill walking directly with overground walking, which was the main idea behind the hypothesis. The fixed-speed treadmill was always tested after the user-driven treadmill, so order could not be ruled out. The trials lasted 1 minute, and the authors note longer trials might better describe variability. The authors used their own calculation settings for the variability measure, which may make comparisons with other studies difficult.
Declared interests
The supplied text does not include a conflicts-of-interest statement. The publication types list NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that user-driven treadmills improve patient gait or are proven more similar to overground walking. The study tested 11 healthy adults, did not directly compare with overground walking, and found no difference in center of mass variability.