Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2025
Lower Limb Biomechanical Analysis of Healthy Participants
Published on: April 15, 2020
Evaluation of Muscle Oxygen Dynamics in Children's Gait and Its Relationship with the Physiological Cost Index
Yuya Shirai1,2, Tadashi Ito1,3, Yuji Ito4,5
1Department of Integrated Health Sciences, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 461-8673, Japan.
Insights
Muscle oxygen saturation during walking in children reveals age-related changes in lower leg muscles. Tibialis anterior oxygenation dynamics correlate with walking efficiency, highlighting its role in children's gait.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Exercise Physiology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) reflects muscle energy metabolism during activity.
- The physiological cost index (PCI) quantifies walking efficiency.
- The relationship between SmO2 and PCI in children's gait is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate SmO2 in lower extremity muscles during walking in children.
- To examine age-related changes in SmO2.
- To investigate the relationship between SmO2 and PCI.
Main Methods:
- SmO2 measured as change during a 2-minute walk using near-infrared spectroscopy.
- PCI calculated from heart rate changes and walking speed.
- Comparative analysis across different lower leg muscles and age groups.
Main Results:
- Greater SmO2 changes observed in lower leg muscles.
- Significant age-dependent increases in SmO2 noted in tibialis anterior (6-7 years) and gastrocnemius medial head (8-10 years).
- Significant correlation found between PCI and SmO2 changes in the tibialis anterior (r = 0.44, p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- Lower leg muscles exhibit metabolic activity during children's gait, with age-specific responses.
- Muscle oxygenation dynamics, particularly in the tibialis anterior, may be a key determinant of walking efficiency in children.
Abstract:
The response of muscle oxygen saturation, which is an index for the energy metabolism of muscles during walking in children, and its relationship to the physiological cost index, which indicates walking efficiency, are unknown. This study aimed to evaluate muscle oxygen saturation in lower extremity muscles during walking in children, its changes with age, and the relationship between the physiological cost index. The oxygen saturation was measured by the amount of change during a two-minute walk, and the physiological cost index was calculated from the change in heart rate before and after exercise and walking speed. Results were compared for each muscle, and the correlation between the two was examined. Changes in muscle oxygen saturation were greater in the lower leg muscles, significantly greater in the tibialis anterior at six to seven years, and in the gastrocnemius medial head at eight to ten years. The physiological cost index was significantly correlated with changes in muscle oxygen saturation in the tibialis anterior (r = 0.44, p < 0.001). The lower leg muscles were metabolically active in children’s gait, and their response varied with age. Moreover, the muscle oxygenation dynamics of the tibialis anterior may influence walking efficiency.
