Comparison of Trunk Activity during Gait Initiation and Walking in Humans

To understand the role of trunk muscles in maintenance of dynamic postural equilibrium we investigate trunk movements during gait initiation and walking, performing trunk kinematics analysis, Erector spinae muscle (ES) recordings and dynamic analysis. ES muscle expressed a metachronal descending pattern of activity during walking and gait initiation. In the frontal and horizontal planes, lateroflexion and rotation occur before in the upper trunk and after in the lower trunk. Comparison of ES muscle EMGs and trunk kinematics showed that trunk muscle activity precedes corresponding kinematics activity, indicating that the ES drive trunk movement during locomotion and thereby allowing a better pelvis mobilization. EMG data showed that ES activity anticipates propulsive phases in walking with a repetitive pattern, suggesting a programmed control by a central pattern generator. Our findings also suggest that the programs for gait initiation and walking overlap with the latter beginning before the first has ended

Différents patrons d'activités du tronc pour différents modes de locomotion

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Analyse de la contribution du tronc à la marche humaine

National audienceAnalyse de la contribution du tronc à la marche humain

Trunk Activity in Human, from Posture to Locomotion

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Gait initiation and walking cycle parameters: definition.

<p>A) Trajectory of left and right ankle displacement in the forward direction for gait initiation and walking. The beginning and end of the cycle are set when the two curves cross each other in the same direction. B) Inter-ankle distance in the forward direction for gait initiation and walking. The beginning and end of the cycle are set when the curve crosses the 0 in the same direction.</p

Horizontal plane kinematics during gait initiation and walking.

<p>A) Angle definition at shoulder level, thoracic level (Thor), L3 and superior iliac spines (SIS). B) Curves present the mean±SD of angle changes for all subjects for gait initiation and walking. Triangles indicate the mean±SD of the positions and amplitudes of maxima and minima for all subjects.</p