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Lower-Limb Biomechanical Characteristics Associated with Unplanned Gait Termination Under Different Walking Speeds
Published on: August 25, 2020
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Human myoelectric spatial patterns differ among lower limb muscles and locomotion speeds
Bryan R Schlink1, Andrew D Nordin1, Daniel P Ferris1
1J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Physiological Reports
|December 5, 2020
Summary
Spatial muscle activity patterns in the lower limb vary between muscles and become more localized with increasing locomotion speed. This study investigated these differences using high-density electromyography (EMG) during walking and running.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Neuroscience
- Human Movement Science
Background:
- Spatial distribution of myoelectric activity in lower limb muscles is nonuniform and task-dependent.
- Previous high-density EMG studies suggest spatial muscle activity differs during locomotion, but comparisons are limited by varying methodologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in spatial electromyography (EMG) patterns among lower limb muscles.
- To determine how locomotion speed affects these spatial EMG patterns.
Main Methods:
- Recorded high-density EMG from five lower limb muscles (vastus medialis, tibialis anterior, biceps femoris, medial gastrocnemius, lateral gastrocnemius) in 11 healthy subjects.
- Subjects walked and ran at various speeds (1.2-5.0 m/s) on a treadmill.
- Applied multivariate signal cleaning and computed spatial entropy and center of gravity from EMG data during gait cycles.
Main Results:
- Heterogeneous spatial EMG patterns were observed, with significant differences in spatial entropy among muscles.
- Increased locomotion speed led to decreased mean entropy in four of five muscles, indicating more localized EMG activity.
- The center of gravity of EMG activity shifted in multiple muscles with increasing speed.
Conclusions:
- Spatial distribution of myoelectric activity differs across lower limb muscles.
- Faster locomotion speeds result in more localized EMG activity and shifts in the center of gravity.
- These findings may relate to muscle architecture and preferential recruitment of motor units under load.
