Diurnal variation in gait characteristics and transition speed. (February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bessot, Nicolas; Lericollais, Romain; Gauthier, Antoine; Sesboüé, Bruno; Bulla, Jan; Moussay, Sebastien
• Is Part Of: Chronobiology international. Volume 32:Number 1(2015)
• Page Start: 136
• Page End: 142
• Publication Date: 2015-02
• Subjects: Chronobiology -- Periodicals; Biological rhythms -- Periodicals; Circadian rhythms -- Periodicals; 571.77
• DOI: 10.3109/07420528.2014.959128
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0742-0528

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of time-of-day on Preferred Transition Speed (PTS) and spatiotemporal organization of walking and running movements. Twelve active male subjects participated in the study (age: 27.2 ± 4.9 years; height: 177.9 ± 5.4 cm; body mass: 75.9 ± 5.86 kg). First, PTS was determined at 08:00 h and 18:00 h. The mean of the two PTS recorded at the two times-of-day tested was used as a reference (PTS<sub>m</sub>). Then, subjects were asked to walk and run on a treadmill at three imposed speeds (PTS<sub>m</sub>, PTS<sub>m</sub> + 0.3 m.s<sup>−1</sup>, and PTS<sub>m </sub>− 0.3 m.s<sup>−1</sup>) at 08:00 h and 18:00 h. Mean stride length, temporal stride, spatial stride variability, and temporal stride variability were used for gait analysis. The PTS observed at 08:00 h (2.10 ± 0.17 m.s<sup>−1</sup>) tends to be lower (<italic>p</italic> = 0.077) than that recorded at 18:00 h (2.14 ± 0.19 m.s<sup>−1</sup>). Stride lengths recorded while walking (<italic>p = </italic>0.038) and running (<italic>p = </italic>0.041) were shorter at 08:00 h than 18:00 h. No time-of-day effect was observed for stride frequency during walking and running trials. When walking, spatial stride variability (<italic>p = </italic>0.020) and temporal stride variability (<italic>p = </italic>0.028) were lower at 08:00 h than at 18:00 h. When running, no diurnal variation of spatial stride variability or temporal stride variability was detected.</p> </abstract>