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Updated: Oct 20, 2026

Simulation of Human-induced Vibrations Based on the Characterized In-field Pedestrian Behavior
Published on: April 13, 2016
Speed-driven transitions between discrete and rhythmic dynamics in walking revealed by kinematic smoothness and
Giulia Panconi1,2,3,4, Diego Minciacchi1, Riccardo Bravi1
1Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Abstract:
Humans control movement through motor primitives that generate discrete and rhythmic actions. We investigated whether and how speed may drive a transition between discrete and rhythmic organization in walking, and whether muscle synergy changes are associated with kinematic shifts. Eighteen healthy adults walked on a treadmill during incremental and decremental trials (0.5-5 km/h in 0.5 km/h steps). Kinematics and bilateral lower-limb EMG were recorded. Smoothness was quantified using log dimensionless jerk (LDJ) and spectral arc length (SPARC). Both metrics indicated lower smoothness at low speeds and progressively stabilized as speed increased, with a transition region around 3-3.5 km/h showing inter-individual variability. In parallel, EMG synergies showed speed-dependent increases in dimensionality (2→3→4), consistent with module merging at slower speeds. Overall, these findings reveal coordinated kinematic and neuromuscular shifts with speed, indicating a transition from a discrete-dominated regime at low speeds toward a more stable rhythmic pattern at higher speeds.
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