"Slow walking with turns" increases quadriceps and erector spinae muscle activity.
Mayumi Araki, Yoichi Hatamoto, Yasuki Higaki and 1 others
PMID 28356623WHAT IT FOUND
In young healthy volunteers, slow walking with frequent turns raised metabolic intensity and increased erector spinae, vastus lateralis and vastus medialis activity compared with treadmill walking at the same speed.
Key findings
01Metabolic intensity was significantly higher during slow walking with turns than during treadmill walking at corresponding speeds.
02Erector spinae, vastus lateralis and vastus medialis activity was significantly greater during the turn phase of slow walking with turns than during the stance phase of treadmill walking, and about twice as high.
03Heart rate and perceived exertion did not differ significantly between slow walking with turns and treadmill walking, except heart rate at 3.6 and 4.5 km/h.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The participants were eight recreationally active volunteers and six healthy men, all young adults, not older adults or patients. The study measured acute energy cost and muscle activity, not long-term strength, muscle mass, balance, falls or function. Treadmill walking was the comparison, not usual overground walking. Muscle activity was recorded only on the right side. The paper did not report a training intervention or clinical outcomes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not tell older patients that this proves slow walking with turns improves strength, balance or falls. The study measured acute energy cost and muscle activity in young healthy volunteers, not older adults or training outcomes.