The feasibility of a split-belt instrumented treadmill running protocol with perturbations

Unexpected perturbations during locomotion can occur during daily life or sports performance. Adequate compensation for such perturbations is crucial in maintaining effective postural control. Studies utilising instrumented treadmills have previously validated perturbed walking protocols, however responses to perturbed running protocols remain less investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a new instrumented treadmill-perturbed running protocol. Fifteen participants (age = 28 ± 3 years; height = 172 ± 9 cm; weight = 69 ± 10 kg; 60% female) completed an 8-minute running protocol at baseline velocity of 2.5 m/s (9 km/h), whilst 15 one-sided belt perturbations were applied (pre-set perturbation characteristics: 150 ms delay (post-heel contact); 2.0 m/s amplitude; 100 ms duration). Perturbation characteristics and EMG responses were recorded. Bland-Altman analysis (BLA) was employed (bias ± limits of agreement (LOA; bias ± 1.96*SD)) and intra-individual variability of repeated perturbations was assessed via Coefficients of Variation (CV) (mean ± SD). On average, 9.4 ± 2.2 of 15 intended perturbations were successful. Perturbation delay was 143 ± 10 ms, amplitude was 1.7 ± 0.2 m/s and duration was 69 ± 10 ms. BLA showed -7 ± 13 ms for delay, -0.3 ± 0.1 m/s for amplitude and -30 ± 10 ms for duration. CV showed variability of 19 ± 4.5% for delay, 58 ± 12% for amplitude and 30 ± 7% for duration. EMG RMS amplitudes of the legs and trunk ranged from 113 ± 25% to 332 ± 305% when compared to unperturbed gait. This study showed that the application of sudden perturbations during running can be achieved, though with increased variability across individuals. The perturbations with the above characteristics appear to have elicited a neuromuscular response during running.