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When and how does steady state gait movement induced from upright posture begin?

Y Breniere, M C Do

Journal of Biomechanics

|January 1, 1986

Summary

Initiating walking from a standing position achieves steady-state gait within the first step. This process takes a constant time, influenced by individual body parameters, enabling efficient locomotion.

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Area of Science:

Biomechanics
Human locomotion
Gait analysis

Background:

Understanding gait initiation is crucial for rehabilitation and assistive device design.
The transition from quiet standing to steady walking involves complex neuromuscular control.
Previous research has focused on various aspects of gait but the precise onset of steady-state gait remains an area of interest.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the temporal and kinematic characteristics of gait initiation from an upright posture.
To determine when steady-state gait parameters are achieved during the initial steps of walking.
To analyze the influence of walking speed on gait initiation.

Main Methods:

Five healthy subjects stood on a force plate and initiated walking at self-selected slow, normal, and fast speeds.
Kinematic data of the center of gravity progression were analyzed.
Gait initiation parameters were compared across different speeds and with established steady-state gait values.

Main Results:

The center of gravity's progression velocity after the first step was not significantly different from the mean velocity during the second step.
The time to reach steady-state gait from the initial posture was found to be constant across trials.
The frequency of the first step was comparable to published values for steady-state gait.

Conclusions:

The primary goal of gait initiation is to establish steady-state gait within the first step.
The time required to achieve steady-state gait is invariant and depends on individual body segment parameters.
These findings have implications for understanding fundamental human movement control and designing interventions for gait disturbances.

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