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Updated: May 30, 2025

Influence of Step-Width Manipulation on Running Biomechanics

Influence of Step-Width Manipulation on Running Biomechanics

Published on: February 28, 2025

Biomechanical mechanisms for modulating stride frequency in walking.

Russell T Johnson¹, Brian R Umberger²

¹Department of Kinesiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States; Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.

Journal of Biomechanics

|January 30, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Humans adapt walking stride frequency to minimize effort, but deviations increase muscle demands. Slower walking (-20%) engages gluteus medius and gastrocnemius more, while faster walking (+20%) increases hamstring and iliopsoas activity.

Keywords:

Induced Acceleration Locomotion Muscle-tendon Force Muscle-tendon Power

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Lower-Limb Biomechanical Characteristics Associated with Unplanned Gait Termination Under Different Walking Speeds

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Published on: August 25, 2020

Area of Science:

Biomechanics
Human locomotion
Musculoskeletal modeling

Background:

Humans naturally adopt a self-selected stride frequency to minimize metabolic cost during walking.
Environmental factors can necessitate alterations in stride frequency, impacting muscle dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

To comprehensively analyze muscle-tendon dynamics across varying stride frequencies in human walking.
To quantify the effects of altered stride frequency on muscle-tendon forces, powers, and center of mass accelerations.

Main Methods:

Eight subjects walked at a constant speed (1.3 m/s) at self-selected, +20%, and -20% stride frequencies.
Musculoskeletal modeling was employed to calculate muscle-tendon forces, powers, and induced accelerations for nine muscle groups.
Statistical parametric mapping was used to compare conditions.

Main Results:

Slower (-20%) stride frequency increased forces/powers/accelerations in gluteus medius, gastrocnemius, and tibialis anterior.
Faster (+20%) stride frequency elevated forces/powers/accelerations in hamstrings, rectus femoris, and iliopsoas.
Gastrocnemius primarily influenced forward acceleration via kinematics, not muscle force.

Conclusions:

Deviations from self-selected stride frequency increase lower limb muscle demands, suggesting preferred frequencies optimize muscle work.
Understanding muscle-tendon responses to stride frequency variations provides insight into gait pattern selection.