Functional resistance training during walking: Mode of application differentially affects gait biomechanics and muscle activation patterns.
Edward P Washabaugh, Thomas E Augenstein, Chandramouli Krishnan
PMID 31678694WHAT IT FOUND
Computer simulations show that how you apply resistance during walking changes which muscles work.
Ankle weights and elastic bands target swing-phase muscles, while backward pulling targets stance-phase hip extensors. Weighted vests had minimal effect.
Key findings
01Ankle weights increased hip extension and knee flexion moments and hamstring activation primarily at the end of the swing phase.
02Elastic bands attached to the ankle increased hip flexion and knee extension moments and quadriceps activation during the swing phase.
03A constant backward pulling force on the pelvis increased hip extension and knee flexion moments and hip extensor muscle activation during the stance phase.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study used a computer simulation based on a healthy person's gait, not actual patients with gait impairments. Kinematics were constrained to a normal walking pattern, ignoring the adaptations patients typically make when resistance is added. The simulation used a minimum-effort principle for muscle activation, which may not reflect how patients with pain or fatigue control their muscles. It is unknown how much change in muscle activation is needed to cause real physiological improvements in patients.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these biomechanical effects will translate directly to clinical outcomes in patients with gait deficits. The simulation used healthy kinematics and did not account for the compensatory movements patients typically make when resisting devices.