Buurke, T.J.W. (Tom) (2016) Optimization of Metabolic Cost during Locomotor Adaptation on a Split-Belt Treadmill. thesis, Human Movement Sciences.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Introduction: Locomotor adaptation is a key research subject in human movement sciences. Since a few years gait adaptation can be studied with a split-belt treadmill, on which a person walks faster with one leg than the other, by which asymmetric gait is forced upon the participant. Healthy humans adapt to split-belt gait within five minutes. Most split-belt studies focus on the differences in common step parameters between the first and fifth minute of adaptation. Metabolic cost is often neglected in these studies. This study focuses on whether metabolic cost (net energy cost) is optimized during split-belt adaptation and how this relates to the adaptation of spatiotemporal step parameters (double support ratio, step length ratio) and mediolateral balance control (step width). Methods: 15 healthy adults were exposed to split-belt gait for nine minutes. Oxygen consumption, position data of the lateral malleoli, and ground reaction forces were measured to determine net energy cost, double support ratio, step length ratio, and step width. Results: An effect of adaptation on metabolic cost was found, which occurred simultaneous with increased gait symmetry and mediolateral balance control. Discussion: Metabolic cost is optimized during locomotor adaptation. The adaptation of metabolic cost occurs simultaneously with the adaptation of spatiotemporal parameters and mediolateral balance control. In general this study shows that physiological adaptations are part of locomotor learning, and should not be neglected in further locomotor adaptation studies.
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Otter, dr. A.R. den |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 20 Apr 2022 10:19 |
| Last Modified: | 20 Apr 2022 10:20 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3127 |
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