[Vibration after effect during human walking]

Muscular vibration effects could usually persist after the end of the stimulation. The extinction of this after-effect was studied during human walk. Six subjects performed a locomotor task (six successive steps) under control, and after bilateral Achilles' tendon vibration (70 Hz). The step frequency was enhanced (diminution of the stance phase duration) whereas the stride length tended to decrease. The relative duration of the stance phase reached back normal values with repetitions. These results demonstrated that vibration-induced effects persevere after the end of the stimulation. In addition, owing to the dynamic of the re-adaptation process, they suggested that the muscular proprioceptive input could participate in both maintaining and regulating the locomotor rhythm.