Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026
08:04
Using a Split-belt Treadmill to Evaluate Generalization of Human Locomotor Adaptation
Published on: August 23, 2017
8.7K
An entropy approach for evaluating adaptive motor learning processes while walking with unstable footwear
Michael Buchecker1, Erich Müller1, Stefan Wegenkittl2
1Department of Sport Science and Kinesiology, University of Salzburg, Schlossallee 49, 5400 Hallein/Rif, Austria.
Human Movement Science
|May 27, 2018
Summary
Unstable shoes (US) decrease gait variability predictability, indicating a "decomplexification" of the motor system over time. This effect was more pronounced after a 10-week period compared to flat shoes (FS).
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Human Movement Science
- Sports Medicine
Background:
- Gait variability is crucial for adaptability and stability.
- Unstable shoes (US) are designed to challenge postural control.
- The long-term effects of US on gait dynamics remain under investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the short- and long-term effects of unstable shoes (US) on gait variability.
- To analyze changes in center of mass (vCOM) velocity signals using sample entropy (SEn).
- To compare gait dynamics between US and flat shoes (FS) over a 10-week period.
Main Methods:
- 12 sport students walked in US and FS before and after a 10-week accommodation period.
- Sample entropy (SEn) of center of mass velocity (vCOM) was calculated in medio-lateral (ML), anterior-posterior (AP), and vertical (VT) directions.
- Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used for statistical analysis (α=0.05).
Main Results:
- US use increased the predictability of vCOM time series compared to FS, particularly after the accommodation period.
- SEn values decreased for the US condition while remaining stable for FS, indicating reduced gait variability with US.
- Significant shoe-by-visit interaction effects were found for vCOMML, but not for vCOMAP or vCOMVT.
Conclusions:
- Adaptation to US leads to a
- decomplexification
- of the motor system, characterized by reduced gait variability.
- The training load associated with US interventions may be insufficient to enhance overall motor flexibility in athletes.
- Further research is needed to explore optimal training protocols with US for athletic populations.
More Related Videos
07:52Investigating Motor Skill Learning Processes with a Robotic Manipulandum
Published on: February 12, 2017
9.2K
08:51Author Spotlight: Unveiling Neural Mechanisms Through Automated Evaluation of Motor Learning and Myelin Plasticity Studies Using the Erasmus Ladder
Published on: December 15, 2023
2.1K
Related Concept Videos
02:39Entropy
36.3K
Salt particles that have dissolved in water never spontaneously come back together in solution to reform solid particles. Moreover, a gas that has expanded in a vacuum remains dispersed and never spontaneously reassembles. The unidirectional nature of these phenomena is the result of a thermodynamic state function called entropy (S). Entropy is the measure of the extent to which the energy is dispersed throughout a system, or in other words, it is proportional to the degree of disorder of a...
36.3K
01:18Entropy
3.6K
The first law of thermodynamics is quantitatively formulated via an equation relating the internal energy of a system, the heat exchanged by it, and the work done on it. A quantitative formulation of the second law of thermodynamics leads to defining a state function, the entropy.
When an ideal gas expands isothermally, the disorder in the gas increases. From the molecular perspective, the gas molecules have more volume to move around in.
Consider an infinitesimal step in the expansion, which...
When an ideal gas expands isothermally, the disorder in the gas increases. From the molecular perspective, the gas molecules have more volume to move around in.
Consider an infinitesimal step in the expansion, which...
3.6K
01:10Entropy Change in Reversible Processes
3.3K
In the Carnot engine, which achieves the maximum efficiency between two reservoirs of fixed temperatures, the total change in entropy is zero. The observation can be generalized by considering any reversible cyclic process consisting of many Carnot cycles. Thus, it can be stated that the total entropy change of any ideal reversible cycle is zero.
The statement can be further generalized to prove that entropy is a state function. Take a cyclic process between any two points on a p-V diagram.
The statement can be further generalized to prove that entropy is a state function. Take a cyclic process between any two points on a p-V diagram.
3.3K
01:30Information Processing Approach
591
The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is...
591
03:00Standard Entropy Change for a Reaction
24.9K
Entropy is a state function, so the standard entropy change for a chemical reaction (ΔS°rxn) can be calculated from the difference in standard entropy between the products and the reactants.
24.9K
02:05Entropy and Solvation
8.4K
The process of surrounding a solute with solvent is called solvation. It involves evenly distributing the solute within the solvent. The rule of thumb for determining a solvent for a given compound is that like dissolves like. A good solvent has molecular characteristics similar to those of the compound to be dissolved. For example, polar solutions dissolve polar solutes, and apolar solvents dissolve apolar solutes. A polar solvent is a solvent that has a high dielectric constant (ϵ...
8.4K