During human walking, imposed increasing velocity initially causes individuals to concomitantly increase the stride frequency and stride length 8. At intermediate velocities, a new pendular-running gait type was found.īipedal locomotion constitutes a fundamental characteristic of humans.
Srinivasan and Ruina (2006) used a similar approach and found that at low velocities a computer-based energetically optimization discovered the classic inverted-pendulum walk while a bouncing run occurred at high velocities. The latter approach caused Hubel and Usherwood (2013) to suggest that an inverted pendulum gait model has predictive power in regard to gait transitions. In addition, computer modelling has been performed to increase our understanding 4, 7. A considerable proportion of the research within this field has focussed particularly on the transition velocity 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 as well as on optimisation theories based on minimisation of, for example, rate of energy turnover 5 or biomechanical loadings of the legs 6. An intriguing long-standing question which has been investigated by researchers within, for example, neuroscience, physiology, and psychology is, “Why do humans spontaneously shift from walking to running at a certain point during locomotion at gradually increasing velocity?” 1, 2 The answer to this question remains unclear 3, 4. Conversely, our data support that the central phenomenon of walk-to-run transition during human locomotion could be influenced by behavioural attractors in the form of stride frequencies spontaneously occurring during behaviourally unrestricted gait conditions of walking and running.Ī better understanding of the control of bipedal locomotion can contribute to the development of programs for the enhancement of human function and performance. In particular, previous research has focussed on transition velocity and optimisation theories based on minimisation of, e.g., energy turnover or biomechanical loadings of the legs. Gait is predicted to be shifted from walking to running when the stride frequency starts getting closer to the running attractor than to the walking attractor. The particular two freely chosen stride frequencies used for prediction are considered behavioural attractors. We found no essential mean relative difference between the two transition frequencies, i.e.
The agreement is based on Bland and Altman’s statistics. We show that a calculated walk-to-run transition stride frequency (70.6 ± 3.2 strides min −1) agrees with a transition stride frequency (70.8 ± 3.1 strides min −1) predicted from the two stride frequencies applied during treadmill walking and running at freely chosen velocities and freely chosen stride frequencies.
It remains unclear why humans spontaneously shift from walking to running at a certain point during locomotion at gradually increasing velocity.
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