Effects of pelvic range of motion and lower limb muscle activation pattern on over-ground and treadmill walking at the identical speed in healthy adults.
Seung-Yeop Lim, Wan-Hee Lee
PMID 29706719WHAT IT FOUND
Treadmill walking at the same speed as over-ground walking was not identical in healthy adults.
Pelvic rotation was smaller, vastus lateralis and tibialis anterior were more active, and gastrocnemius activity fell in stance and rose in swing.
Key findings
01At the same walking speed, treadmill walking produced a smaller pelvic rotation range than over-ground walking.
02Treadmill walking increased vastus lateralis and tibialis anterior activity in stance and swing, while gastrocnemius medialis decreased in stance and increased in swing.
03Women had greater pelvic obliquity than men, but gender did not change the differences between walking modes for pelvic parameters or muscle activation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only 23 healthy adults, so it does not show what happens in patients with gait problems. Over-ground walking was always performed before treadmill walking, so order effects cannot be ruled out. Participants wore their own gym shoes, which varied in design and material properties. The authors noted the small sample size and that only healthy adults were examined.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that treadmill walking improves function or that the findings apply to patients. The study measured only healthy adults walking at the same speed and found differences in pelvic motion and muscle activity, not clinical outcomes.