2001/01/11 by Arthur D. Kuo · 1 citation
Engineering · Mathematics · Medicine · #Acoustics #Cerebral Palsy and Movement Disorders #Component (thermodynamics) #Computer science #Control theory (sociology) #Engineering #Forcing (mathematics) #Isometric exercise #Leg muscle #Mathematical analysis #Mathematics #Mechanical engineering #Mechanics #Medicine #Muscle activation and electromyography studies #Physical medicine and rehabilitation #Physical therapy #Physics #Preferred walking speed #Robotic Locomotion and Control #Simulation #Swing #Work (physics)
paper · doi:10.1115/1.1372322
crossref issued 2001/01/11 · crossref published 2001/01/11 · crossref published-online 2001/01/11 · openalex publication_date 2001/01/11 · crossref published-print 2001/06/01 · crossref created 2002/07/27 · crossref deposited 2021/05/25 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · crossref indexed 2026/08/06 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
We used a simple model of passive dynamic walking, with the addition of active powering on level ground, to study the preferred relationship between speed and step length in humans. We tested several hypothetical metabolic costs, with one component proportional to the mechanical work associated with pushing off with the stance leg at toe-off, and another component associated with several possible costs of forcing oscillations of the swing leg. For this second component, a cost based on the amount of force needed to oscillate the leg divided by the time duration of that force predicts the preferred speed-step length relationship much better than other costs, such as the amount of mechanical work done in swinging the leg. The cost of force/time models the need to recruit fast muscle fibers for large forces at short durations. The actual mechanical work performed by muscles on the swing leg appears to be of relatively less importance, although it appears to be minimized by the use of short bursts of muscle activity in near-isometric conditions. The combined minimization of toe-off mechanical work and force divided by time predicts the preferred speed-step length relationship.