A kinematic and kinetic comparison of overground and treadmill walking in healthy subjects

Riley, Patrick O.; Paolini, Gabriele; Della Croce, Ugo; Paylo, Kate W.; Kerrigan, D. Casey

Affiliations

¹Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA

²Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

Abstract and keywords

Introduction: Gait evaluation protocols using instrumented treadmills will be increasingly used in the near future. For this reason, it must be shown that using instrumented treadmills will produce measures of the ground reaction force adequate for inverse dynamic analysis, and differences between treadmill and overground gait must be well characterized.

Methods: Overground walking kinetics were estimated with the subjects walking at their self-selected comfortable walking speed. For the treadmill gait trials, the subjects walked on two treadmills, such that heel-strike occurred on the forward treadmill and toe-off occurred on the trailing treadmill. The treadmill was set to the average overground walking speed. Overground and treadmill data were evaluated using Vicon Plug-in Gait. The differences between the maxima and minima of kinematic and kinetic parameters for overground and treadmill gait were evaluated.

Results: The kinematics of treadmill and overground gait were very similar. Twelve of 22 kinematic parameter maxima were statistically significantly different (p < 0.05), but the magnitude of the difference was generally less than 2°. All GRF maxima were found to be statistically significantly smaller for treadmill versus overground gait (p < 0.05) as were 15 of 18 moment, and 3 of 6 power maxima. However, the magnitude of the differences was comparable to the variability in normal gait parameters. The sagittal plane ankle moments were not statistically different for treadmill and overground gait.

Discussion: We have shown that treadmill gait is qualitatively and quantitatively similar to overground gait. Differences in kinematic and kinetic parameters can be detected in matched comparisons, particularly in the case of kinetic parameters. However, the magnitudes of these differences are all within the range of repeatability of measured kinematic parameters. Thus, the mechanics of treadmill and overground gait are very similar.

Clinical significance: Having demonstrated the essential equivalence of treadmill and overground gait, it is now possible for clinical movement analysis to take advantage of treadmill-based protocols.

Keywords: Gait; Kinematics; Kinetics; Treadmill; Overground

Links

DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2006.07.003

PubMed: 000247011800004

WoS: 16905322

History

Received: 2006-03-14

Revised: 2006-07-05

Accepted: 2006-07-09

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Cited By (22)

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2016	Jöllenbeck T, Pietschmann J. Biomechanical functional imaging. In: Valderrabano V, Easley M, eds. Foot and Ankle Sports Orthopaedics. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing; 2016:63-73.
2013	Riley PO, Kent RW, Dierks TA, Lievers WB, Frimenko RE, Crandall JR. Foot kinematics and loading of professional athletes in American football-specific tasks. Gait Post. September 2013;38(4):563-569.
2024	Wang Y, Guo J, Tang H, Li X, Guo S, Tian Q. Quantification of soft tissue artifacts using CT registration and subject-specific multibody modeling. J Biomech. January 1, 2024;162:111893.
2016	Abdul Yamin NAA, Basaruddin KS, Rusli WMR, Razak N, Salleh AF. The influence of surface types on foot kinematics during running and walking: a systematic review. J Teknol. 2016;78(10):23-34.
2008	Riley P, Dicharry J, Franz J, Croce UD, Wilder RP, Kerrigan DC. A kinematics and kinetic comparison of overground and treadmill running. Med Sci Sports Exer. 2008;40(6):1093-1100.
2021	Sorby-Adams AJ. Targeting Cerebral Oedema and Elevated Intracranial Pressure in a Preclinical Model of Ischaemic Stroke [PhD thesis]. University of Adelaide; May 2021.
2011	Ragetly CAM. Gait Analysis of the Hind Limb in Labrador Retrievers With and Without Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease [PhD thesis]. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; 2011.
2016	Pickle NT. Dynamic Balance and Muscle Function in Individuals With and Without Unilateral Transtibial Amputation During Sloped Walking [PhD thesis]. Colorado School of Mines; 2016.
2017	Marouane H. Biomécanique de l'articulation du genou humain durant la marche: Un modèle musculosquelettique hybride [PhD thesis]. École polytechnique de Montréal; March 2017.
2020	Kanko RM. Validation of a Markerless Motion Capture System for Human Movement Analysis [Master's thesis]. Queen's University; August 2020.
2008	Fellin RE. Three-Dimensional Comparison of Lower Extremity Kinematics During Overground and Treadmill Running [Master's thesis]. University of Delaware; Spring 2008.
2008	Zeni JA Jr. Alterations in Joint Loading and Muscle Coordination Strategies With the Progression of Medial Compartment Knee Osteoarthritis [PhD thesis]. University of Delaware; 2008.
2009	Altman AR. A Kinematic Comparison of Split-Belt and Single-Belt Treadmill Walking and the Effects of Accommodation [Master's thesis]. University of Delaware; Spring 2009.
2009	Xiao M. Computer Simulation of Human Walking: Model Sensitivity and Application to Stroke Gait [PhD thesis]. University of Delaware; 2009.
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2017	Lakes EH. Advancing Methods for Multiscale Mechanics in Orthopaedic Research [PhD thesis]. University of Florida; December 2017.
2017	Vu D-S. Synthèse sur la conception, commande et planification de trajectoire d'une interface de locomotion pour la réadaptation de la marche [PhD thesis]. Université Laval; 2017.
2009	Crane EA. Measures of Emotion: How Feelings Are Expressed in the Body and Face During Walking [PhD thesis]. University of Michigan; 2009.
2012	Zelik KE. Passive Energy-Saving Mechanisms in Human Locomotion [PhD thesis]. University of Michigan; 2012.
2010	Bohnsack NK. Body Dynamics and Muscle Activity During Chi Running [Master's thesis]. University of Texas at Austin; December 2010.
2018	Hughes-Oliver C. Walking Speed, Gait Asymmetry, and Motor Variability [Master's thesis]. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; February 6, 2018.
2019	Renner KE. Assessing Limb Symmetry Using the Clinically Accessible Loadsol® [PhD thesis]. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; March 13, 2019.