Locomotion as a Powerful Model to Study Integrative Physiology: Efficiency, Economy, and Power Relationship

Abstract

Locomotion is the most common form of movement in nature. Its study allows analysis of interactions between muscle functions (motor) and lever system arrangements (transmission), thereby facilitating performance analysis of various body organs and systems. Thus, it is a powerful model to study various aspects of integrative physiology. The results of this model can be applied in understanding body functions and design principles as performance outputs of interest for medical and biological sciences. The overall efficiency (effoverall) during locomotion is an example of an integrative parameter, which results from the ratio between mechanical output and metabolic input. Although the concepts of cost (i.e., metabolic expenditure relative to distance) and power (i.e., metabolic expenditure relative to time) are included in its calculation, the effoverall establishes peculiar relations with these variables. For a better approach to these aspects, in this study, we presented the physical-mathematical formulation of efficiency, as well as its conceptual definitions and applications. Furthermore, the concepts of efficiency, cost, and power are discussed from the biological and medical perspectives. Terrestrial locomotion is a powerful model to study integrative physiology in humans, because by analyzing the mechanical and metabolic determinants, we may verify the efficiency and economy relationship through locomotion type, and its characteristics and restrictions. Thus, it is possible to elaborate further on various improved intervention strategies, such as physical training, competition strategies, and ergogenic supplementation.

Nordic walking training in elderly, a randomized clinical trial. Part II: Biomechanical and metabolic adaptations

“…It is worth noting that gait mechanics especially related to leg movements were not altered after both training programs. And, the NW as well FW were able to improve functional mobility (as shown by Takeshima et al) [6] confirming that after these programs elderly walk during their daily life activities with most optimized R, thus resulting in a most economical mobility due to improved motor (muscle and cardiorespiratory systems) and machine (pendulum-like mechanism) attributes [56].…”

“…Furthermore, movement patterns that lead to mechanical energy fluctuations of the body center of mass (BCoM) are essential for detecting gait alterations of the elderly. These adaptations from walking interventions should test if an improvement in the metabolic economy of walking [6,8] is accompanied by enhanced pendular mechanism [9] or due to an increase in self-selected walking speed of the elderly [10][11][12]. Recently, studies with Nordic walking (NW) training have been carried out in older adults [6,8,[13][14][15][16][17][18].…”

Physiological Predictors of Maximal Incremental Running Performance

“…Running speed is then determined by how efficiently the corresponding oxidative adenosine triphosphate turnover at the fractional utilization of VO 2MAX is converted to locomotion (i.e., RE) (Joyner and Coyle, 2008). Metabolic effectiveness refers to the utilization of available energy to provide optimal performance, whereas cardiopulmonary efficiency to least work output for the processes related to oxygen transport and utilization (Daniels, 1985;Saunders et al, 2004;Peyre-Tartaruga and Coertjens, 2018). Therefore, RE is an important physiological determinant for the endurance performance (Daniels, 1985;Kipp et al, 2019).…”

Effectiveness of Using Compression Garments in Winter Racing Sports: A Narrative Review

“…Thus, we can speculate that reduced motor unit activation might represent a lower metabolic cost at the molecular level. Using less metabolic cost to maintain the same power output potentially implies higher muscle efficiency (Peyre-Tartaruga and Coertjens, 2018). This proposes another rationale behind the benefits of CGs.…”

“…In addition, bobsleigh, skeleton, and luge athletes use either their body posture or rudder to control the direction of their vehicles' slide on the ice track (Mosey, 2014;Colyer et al, 2018). Therefore, the primary task in those three events is to reduce the drag of the track and air by changing body posture and using proper clothing and equipment, thus increasing the transmission efficiency of the system (Peyre-Tartaruga and Coertjens, 2018). This can be achieved, for example, by covering the skin using CGs to reduce the drag area of the body (Spring et al, 1988).…”