Complexity-Based Decoding of the Coupling Among Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and Walking Path

Shahul Mujib Kamal1, Mohammad Hossein Babini1, Ondrej Krejcar2

  • 1School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.

Frontiers in Physiology
|December 16, 2020
PubMed

Insights

This study reveals a strong link between walking path complexity and heart rate variability (HRV) complexity. Analyzing fractal patterns and sample entropy demonstrates how different walking paths influence heart rate dynamics.

Area of Science:

  • Physiology
  • Biomechanics
  • Complexity Science

Background:

  • Walking is a fundamental daily activity with known effects on heart rate variability (HRV).
  • Understanding the relationship between physical activity complexity and physiological responses is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the coupling between the complexity of walking paths and heart rate complexity for the first time.
  • To evaluate how path complexity influences heart rate variability (HRV) during walking.

Main Methods:

  • Employed fractal theory and sample entropy to analyze R-R time series data.
  • Measured fractal exponent and sample entropy in nine participants walking on four paths of varying complexity.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated a significant coupling between the fractal dimension of HRV and walking path complexity.
  • Sample entropy analysis corroborated the findings from fractal analysis, confirming the relationship.

Conclusions:

  • Path complexity directly influences the complexity of heart rate variability during walking.
  • Future research can explore similar couplings with other physiological signals and activities.

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