Novel Kinetic Strategies Adopted in Asymmetric Split-Belt Treadmill Walking

Abstract

The hip and ankle strategies that affect learning of a novel gait have not been fully determined, and could be of importance in design of clinical gait interventions. The authors' purpose was to determine the effects of asymmetric split-belt treadmill walking on ankle and hip work during propulsion. Participants were randomized into either a gradual training group or a sudden training group and later returned for a retention test. The gradual training group performed significantly more work at the hip joint of the slow limb during acquisition, and decreased the hip joint work performed during retention. These findings reveal the hip joint on the slow limb during initial swing as a possible site of adaptation to a novel locomotor pattern.

Contextual interference during adaptation to asymmetric split-belt treadmill walking results in transfer of unique gait mechanics

“…Late transfer windows included the last 20 strides of the transfer test. We have previously shown that some lower-limb kinetic adaptations are apparent early in an asymmetric walking bout, but do not persist until the end ( Hinkel-Lipsker and Hahn, 2016b ). Hence, analysis of gait mechanics during late transfer would show any persistent gait adaptations.…”

Real-time feedback control of split-belt ratio to induce targeted step length asymmetry

“…The split-belt treadmill approach has also been modified to determine whether sudden or gradual deviation from tied-belt to split-belt has any effect on participant performance. Hinkel-Lipsker and Hahn [5] conducted an experiment where one group was brought from tied-belt (0.7 m/s) to 2:1 split-belt (1.4 m/s to 0.7 m/s) by an acceleration profile of 0.02 m/s 2 every 20 strides and a second group by an acceleration profile of 10 m/s 2 . This experiment revealed a novel kinetic pattern at the hip joint of those trained with the gradual split belts.…”