Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Using a Split-belt Treadmill to Evaluate Generalization of Human Locomotor Adaptation

Using a Split-belt Treadmill to Evaluate Generalization of Human Locomotor Adaptation

Published on: August 23, 2017

Dual task effects for asymmetric stepping on a split-belt treadmill.

Bradford J McFadyen¹, Judith Hegeman, Jacques Duysens

¹Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Laval University, Quebec, Canada. brad.mcfadyen@rea.ulaval.ca

|July 15, 2009

Summary

Asymmetric walking, like limping, requires more attention than normal walking. Adding a cognitive task interfered with asymmetric gait, indicating increased attention demands for maintaining balance.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease: A Heterogeneous Phenomenon Across Assessment Tools.

The European journal of neuroscience·2026

Same author

Emotion in motion: The impact of affective gait on pedestrian collision avoidance strategies.

Human movement science·2026

Same author

The effects of time constraints on electrocortical dynamics underlying obstacle avoidance while walking.

Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior·2026

Same author

The impact of pedestrian body steering movements on collision avoidance and gaze behaviours: Potential influence of athletic training.

Human movement science·2026

Same author

Age- and sex-related changes in children with and without generalized joint hypermobility: a two-year follow-up study.

BMC musculoskeletal disorders·2025

Same author

Age-Related Effects on Cognitive-Locomotor Dual-Task Abilities in Activities Representative of Daily Life Among Young Seniors.

Perceptual and motor skills·2025

Area of Science:

Biomechanics
Neuroscience
Human motor control

Background:

Bilaterally asymmetric stepping is characteristic of pathological gaits such as hemiplegia and limping.
Understanding the attentional demands of asymmetric gait is crucial for rehabilitation and understanding motor control.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the attentional requirements of asymmetric stepping during walking.
To determine if cognitive load (dual task) impacts gait parameters differently in symmetric versus asymmetric walking conditions.

Main Methods:

Subjects walked on a split-belt treadmill under symmetric (2 km/h) and asymmetric (2 km/h vs 4 km/h, 2 km/h vs 6 km/h) belt speed conditions.
A dual auditory Stroop task was administered during walking and standing to assess cognitive interference.

More Related Videos

Revised and Neuroimaging-Compatible Versions of the Dual Task Screen

Revised and Neuroimaging-Compatible Versions of the Dual Task Screen

Published on: October 5, 2020

Motor Dual-Tasks for Gait Analysis and Evaluation in Post-Stroke Patients

Motor Dual-Tasks for Gait Analysis and Evaluation in Post-Stroke Patients

Published on: March 11, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Using a Split-belt Treadmill to Evaluate Generalization of Human Locomotor Adaptation

Using a Split-belt Treadmill to Evaluate Generalization of Human Locomotor Adaptation

Published on: August 23, 2017

Revised and Neuroimaging-Compatible Versions of the Dual Task Screen

Revised and Neuroimaging-Compatible Versions of the Dual Task Screen

Published on: October 5, 2020

Motor Dual-Tasks for Gait Analysis and Evaluation in Post-Stroke Patients

Motor Dual-Tasks for Gait Analysis and Evaluation in Post-Stroke Patients

Published on: March 11, 2021

Gait parameters including stance phase and double support proportions were analyzed.

Main Results:

Cognitive task performance showed no significant changes across walking conditions or between walking and standing.
Stance phase proportion increased for the limb on the faster belt and decreased for the limb on the slower belt during asymmetric walking with the dual task.
Dual tasking led to modifications in double support proportions and increased variability.

Conclusions:

Asymmetric stepping, common in pathological gaits, demands greater attention than symmetric walking.
Cognitive interference during asymmetric gait suggests that maintaining dynamic balance under asymmetric limb loading requires significant attentional resources.