Effects of gait pattern and arm swing on intergirdle coordination

Area of Science:

• Human locomotion
• Biomechanics
• Motor control

Background:

• Mature human locomotion typically exhibits anti-phase coordination between pelvic and scapular girdles for optimal flexibility and dynamic efficiency.
• This coordination involves a specific arm-leg motion relationship, but locomotion remains possible even when arms are occupied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the flexibility of human locomotor synergy by examining the persistence and strength of pelvic-scapular girdle coordination without arm swing.
• To determine how gait patterns change during walking and running when arm swing is disallowed.

Main Methods:

• Eight healthy participants walked and ran under conditions with and without arm swing.
• Inter-girdle coordination was measured using relative phase analysis, quantifying the timing difference between pelvic and scapular girdle rotations.

Main Results:

• Absence of arm swing induced a shift from anti-phase to in-phase coordination between the girdles.
• Increased locomotion velocity strengthened the dominant coordination pattern.
• Even during natural locomotion with arm swing, a bimodal relative phase distribution indicated a consistent presence of in-phase coordination alongside the anti-phase pattern.

Conclusions:

• Human locomotion demonstrates significant adaptability in inter-girdle coordination patterns.
• The persistence of in-phase coordination, even during natural gait, suggests its stability and potential evolutionary or developmental significance.