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Effect of active arm swing to local dynamic stability during walking
Yu Wu1, Yue Li2, An-Min Liu3
1School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China; Engineering Research Center of Digital Medicine and Clinical Translation, Ministry of Education of P.R. China, Shanghai, China.
Human Movement Science
|November 30, 2015
Summary
Active arm swing enhances trunk stability during walking by reducing medial-lateral movements. This study found no significant effect on lower extremity joint stability, suggesting targeted benefits for the torso.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Gait Analysis
- Human Movement Science
Background:
- Arm swing is crucial for whole-body dynamic stability during walking.
- The specific impact of active arm swing on the local dynamic stability of different body segments is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of natural versus active arm swing on local dynamic stability and gait variability.
- To analyze trunk (C7, T10) and lower extremity (hip, knee, ankle) joint stability during walking under different arm swing conditions.
Main Methods:
- Calculated local divergence exponents (λs) and mean standard deviation (MeanSD) over strides.
- Assessed 24 healthy young adults walking at their preferred walking speed (PWS) on a treadmill.
- Compared two arm swing conditions: natural and active.
Main Results:
- Active arm swing significantly reduced medial-lateral instability (lower λs and MeanSD) in trunk segments (C7, T10) compared to natural arm swing (p<0.05).
- No significant differences in stability (λs, MeanSD) were observed in lower extremity joints (hip, knee, ankle) between the two conditions (p>0.05).
- Anterior-posterior and vertical stability measures showed no significant differences across all segments between arm swing conditions (p>0.05).
Conclusions:
- Active arm swing may improve medial-lateral local dynamic stability specifically in the trunk segments during walking.
- The findings suggest that active arm swing does not significantly alter the stability of lower extremity joints or other planes of motion in the trunk.
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