Tayebeh Namayeshi, Peter Vee Sin Lee, David Ackland
{"title":"Gait balance recovery after tripping: The influence of walking speed and ground inclination on muscle and joint function","authors":"Tayebeh Namayeshi, Peter Vee Sin Lee, David Ackland","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2024.112178","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Reactive lower limb muscle function during walking plays a key role in balance recovery following tripping, and ultimately fall prevention. The objective of this study was to evaluate muscle and joint function in the recovery limb during balance recovery after trip-based perturbations during walking. Twenty-four healthy participants underwent gait analysis while walking at slow, moderate and fast speeds over level, uphill and downhill inclines. Trip perturbations were performed randomly during stance, and lower limb kinematics, kinetics, and muscle contribution to the acceleration of the whole-body centre of mass (COM) were computed pre- and post-perturbation in the recovery limb. Ground slope and walking speed had a significant effect on lower limb joint angles, net joint moments and muscle contributions to support and propulsion during trip recovery (p < 0.05). Specifically, increasing walking speed during trip recovery significantly reduced hip extension in the recovery limb and increased knee flexion, particularly when walking uphill and at higher walking speeds (p < 0.05). Gluteus maximus played a critical role in providing support and forward propulsion of the body during trip recovery across all gait speeds and ground inclinations. This study provides a mechanistic link between muscle action, joint motion and COM acceleration during trip recovery, and underscores the potential of increased walking speed and ground inclination to increase fall risk, particularly in individuals prone to falling. The findings of this study may provide guidelines for targeted exercise therapy such as muscle strengthening for fall prevention.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021929024002562/pdfft?md5=40af1768b18845f99a36c2fb38b52cea&pid=1-s2.0-S0021929024002562-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of biomechanics","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021929024002562","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"BIOPHYSICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Reactive lower limb muscle function during walking plays a key role in balance recovery following tripping, and ultimately fall prevention. The objective of this study was to evaluate muscle and joint function in the recovery limb during balance recovery after trip-based perturbations during walking. Twenty-four healthy participants underwent gait analysis while walking at slow, moderate and fast speeds over level, uphill and downhill inclines. Trip perturbations were performed randomly during stance, and lower limb kinematics, kinetics, and muscle contribution to the acceleration of the whole-body centre of mass (COM) were computed pre- and post-perturbation in the recovery limb. Ground slope and walking speed had a significant effect on lower limb joint angles, net joint moments and muscle contributions to support and propulsion during trip recovery (p < 0.05). Specifically, increasing walking speed during trip recovery significantly reduced hip extension in the recovery limb and increased knee flexion, particularly when walking uphill and at higher walking speeds (p < 0.05). Gluteus maximus played a critical role in providing support and forward propulsion of the body during trip recovery across all gait speeds and ground inclinations. This study provides a mechanistic link between muscle action, joint motion and COM acceleration during trip recovery, and underscores the potential of increased walking speed and ground inclination to increase fall risk, particularly in individuals prone to falling. The findings of this study may provide guidelines for targeted exercise therapy such as muscle strengthening for fall prevention.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Biomechanics publishes reports of original and substantial findings using the principles of mechanics to explore biological problems. Analytical, as well as experimental papers may be submitted, and the journal accepts original articles, surveys and perspective articles (usually by Editorial invitation only), book reviews and letters to the Editor. The criteria for acceptance of manuscripts include excellence, novelty, significance, clarity, conciseness and interest to the readership.
Papers published in the journal may cover a wide range of topics in biomechanics, including, but not limited to:
-Fundamental Topics - Biomechanics of the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems, mechanics of hard and soft tissues, biofluid mechanics, mechanics of prostheses and implant-tissue interfaces, mechanics of cells.
-Cardiovascular and Respiratory Biomechanics - Mechanics of blood-flow, air-flow, mechanics of the soft tissues, flow-tissue or flow-prosthesis interactions.
-Cell Biomechanics - Biomechanic analyses of cells, membranes and sub-cellular structures; the relationship of the mechanical environment to cell and tissue response.
-Dental Biomechanics - Design and analysis of dental tissues and prostheses, mechanics of chewing.
-Functional Tissue Engineering - The role of biomechanical factors in engineered tissue replacements and regenerative medicine.
-Injury Biomechanics - Mechanics of impact and trauma, dynamics of man-machine interaction.
-Molecular Biomechanics - Mechanical analyses of biomolecules.
-Orthopedic Biomechanics - Mechanics of fracture and fracture fixation, mechanics of implants and implant fixation, mechanics of bones and joints, wear of natural and artificial joints.
-Rehabilitation Biomechanics - Analyses of gait, mechanics of prosthetics and orthotics.
-Sports Biomechanics - Mechanical analyses of sports performance.