Psychophysiological responses to stride frequency manipulation in men and women

This study examined psychophysiological responses to stride frequency manipulation during walking in men and women. Nineteen healthy adults (11 men, 8 women) completed two sessions: familiarization session (session 1) during which the preferred stride frequency (PSF1) and its corresponding speed (PWS1) were determined, and experimental session (session 2) that consisted of participants walking at four 15-minute treadmill counterbalanced conditions: the preferred stride frequency measured in Session 1 and being imposed in session 2 called PSF2, new PSF measured in Session 2 (PSF3), and ±10% deviations from PSF2. Oxygen uptake (V̇O2), affective valence (Feeling Scale), arousal (Felt Arousal Scale), the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and heart rate (HR) were measured. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significant main effects of stride frequency on V̇O2 (p < 0.001), feeling scale (p < 0.05), and RPE (p < 0.05). Planned contrasts showed that PSF3 elicited lower V̇O2 (p < 0.01, medium to large effect size), lower RPE (p < 0.05, medium to large effect size) and higher positive valence (p < 0.05, medium effect size) compared to the ± 10% deviations. Planned contrasts also showed that PSF3 compared to PSF2, elicited lower V̇O2 (p < 0.05, medium effect size), lower RPE (p < 0.05, medium effect size) and higher positive valence (p = 0.05, medium effect size). Heart rate recovery was faster in women (p < 0.05), but no sex-condition interactions emerged for any primary outcomes (all p > 0.05). Findings demonstrate that preferred stride frequency minimizes energy cost and RPE scores and reflects higher positive valence during walking with no difference between men and women in our sample.