Effects of treadmill on gait variability in healthy young subjects

Abstract

Objective. The aim of study was to analyze the differences in gait variability (stride interval time series) in two different conditions (spontaneous walking vs. treadmill walking) in healthy and active young subjects.

Method. The stride interval time series derived from ten healthy and active males were studied in three experimental conditions: a) walking on level ground at their self-determined usual paces around open circle circuit for 25 minutes; and b) walking on a treadmill for 25 minutes at the same pace as in Situation a. A capture device enabled stride interval time series to be collected directly and stored during walking in both conditions, using a simple electronic push-button mounted in the heel of the dominant foot support of an insole placed in the running shoe. The mean and standard deviation (SD), Approximate Entropy (ApEn), Sample Entropy (SampEn) and Multiscale Entropy (MSE) were calculated.

Results. DE, ApEn and SampEn showed no significant changes between both experimental conditions. All MSE significantly decreased from the spontaneous walking to treadmill walking.

Conclusions. There was a loss of complexity signal when subjects walked on a treadmill. This should be taken into account for future studies under these conditions.