The relationship between gait speed and mediolateral stability depends on a person's preferred speed
Abstract Mediolateral stability during walking requires active control and is complex. Step width, a proxy for stability, follows a curvilinear relationship as gait speeds increase. However, despite the complexity of maintenance for stability, no study has yet investigated the variation across indiv...
Main Authors: | , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-04-01
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Series: | Scientific Reports |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-32948-z |
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author | Sarah A. Brinkerhoff William M. Murrah Jaimie A. Roper |
author_facet | Sarah A. Brinkerhoff William M. Murrah Jaimie A. Roper |
author_sort | Sarah A. Brinkerhoff |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Abstract Mediolateral stability during walking requires active control and is complex. Step width, a proxy for stability, follows a curvilinear relationship as gait speeds increase. However, despite the complexity of maintenance for stability, no study has yet investigated the variation across individuals of the relationship between speed and step width. The purpose of this study was to determine if variation between adults affects the estimation of the relationship between speed and step width. Participants walked on a pressurized walkway 72 times. Gait speed and step width were measured within each trial. Mixed effects models assessed the relationship between gait speed and step width, and the variability in the relationship across participants. The relationship between speed and step width followed a reverse J-curve on average, but the relationship was moderated by participants’ preferred speed. Step width response as speed increases is not homogenous in adults. This finding suggests that “appropriate” stability moderation (tested across a range of speeds) differs as a function of an individual’s preferred speed. Mediolateral stability is complex, and further research to elucidate individual factors contributing to variation is needed. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:48:23Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-948030410b764634813a20062b4baf15 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2045-2322 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:48:23Z |
publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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series | Scientific Reports |
spelling | doaj.art-948030410b764634813a20062b4baf152023-04-16T11:11:06ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-04-011311510.1038/s41598-023-32948-zThe relationship between gait speed and mediolateral stability depends on a person's preferred speedSarah A. Brinkerhoff0William M. Murrah1Jaimie A. Roper2School of Kinesiology, Auburn UniversityDepartment of Educational Foundations, Leadership, and Technology, Auburn UniversitySchool of Kinesiology, Auburn UniversityAbstract Mediolateral stability during walking requires active control and is complex. Step width, a proxy for stability, follows a curvilinear relationship as gait speeds increase. However, despite the complexity of maintenance for stability, no study has yet investigated the variation across individuals of the relationship between speed and step width. The purpose of this study was to determine if variation between adults affects the estimation of the relationship between speed and step width. Participants walked on a pressurized walkway 72 times. Gait speed and step width were measured within each trial. Mixed effects models assessed the relationship between gait speed and step width, and the variability in the relationship across participants. The relationship between speed and step width followed a reverse J-curve on average, but the relationship was moderated by participants’ preferred speed. Step width response as speed increases is not homogenous in adults. This finding suggests that “appropriate” stability moderation (tested across a range of speeds) differs as a function of an individual’s preferred speed. Mediolateral stability is complex, and further research to elucidate individual factors contributing to variation is needed.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-32948-z |
spellingShingle | Sarah A. Brinkerhoff William M. Murrah Jaimie A. Roper The relationship between gait speed and mediolateral stability depends on a person's preferred speed Scientific Reports |
title | The relationship between gait speed and mediolateral stability depends on a person's preferred speed |
title_full | The relationship between gait speed and mediolateral stability depends on a person's preferred speed |
title_fullStr | The relationship between gait speed and mediolateral stability depends on a person's preferred speed |
title_full_unstemmed | The relationship between gait speed and mediolateral stability depends on a person's preferred speed |
title_short | The relationship between gait speed and mediolateral stability depends on a person's preferred speed |
title_sort | relationship between gait speed and mediolateral stability depends on a person s preferred speed |
url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-32948-z |
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