Global lower limb muscle coactivation during walking at different speeds: Relationship between spatio-temporal, kinematic, kinetic, and energetic parameters. (December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Varrecchia, T.; Rinaldi, M.; Serrao, M.; Draicchio, F.; Conte, C.; Conforto, S.; Schmid, M.; Ranavolo, A.
• Is Part Of: Journal of electromyography and kinesiology. Volume 43(2018)
• Page Start: 148
• Page End: 157
• Publication Date: 2018-12
• Subjects: CNS Central Nervous System -- sEMG surface ElectroMyoGraphy -- TMCf time-varying multi-muscle coactivation function -- GRFs ground reaction forces -- SS comfortable self-selected speed -- L comfortable low speed -- F comfortable fast speed -- FWHMTMCf full width at half maximum -- CoATMCf center of activity -- CMC coefficient of multiple correlation -- CMCIS coefficient of multiple correlation_intra-subject -- CMCTMCf_IS coefficient of multiple correlation_TMCf_intra-subject -- CMCTMCf_BS coefficient of multiple correlation_TMCf_between-subjects -- CMCTMCf_speed coefficient of multiple correlation_TMCf_speed -- VF vertical force -- FWHMVF full width at half maximum vertical force -- CoAVF center of activity vertical force -- Normalized cross-correlation function Rxy -- Temporal shift τ* -- R-step energy recovery -- TEC total energy consumption (TEC) -- RoM range of motion -- SD standard deviation; Muscle coactivation -- Surface electromyography -- Gait analysis -- Mechanical energy consumption; Electromyography -- Periodicals; Kinesiology -- Periodicals; Electromyography -- Periodicals; Movement -- physiology -- Periodicals; Muscles -- physiology -- Periodicals; Électromyographie -- Périodiques; Cinésiologie -- Périodiques; Electromyography; Kinesiology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 616.740757
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2018.09.012
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1050-6411

Abstract

Abstract: Muscle coactivation is the mechanism that regulates the simultaneous activity of antagonist muscles around the same joint. During walking, muscle joint coactivation varies within the gait cycle according to the functional role of the lower limb joints. In the present study, we used a time-varying multi-muscle coactivation function (TMCf) with the aim of investigating the coactivation of 12 lower limb muscles and its relationship with the gait cycle, gait speed (low, self-selected, and fast), ground reaction force, gait variability, and mechanical energy consumption, and recovery in a sample of 20 healthy subjects. Results show that the TMCf is speed dependent and highly repeatable within and between subjects, similar to the vertical force profile, and negatively correlated with energy recovery and positively correlated with both energy consumption and balance-related gait parameters. These findings suggest that the global lower limb coactivation behavior could be a useful measure of the motor control strategy, limb stiffness, postural stability, energy efficiency optimization, and several aspects in pathological conditions.