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Recumbent stepping has similar but simpler neural control compared to walking

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activation patterns and kinematics during recumbent stepping and walking to determine if recumbent stepping has a similar motor pattern as walking. We measured joint kinematics and electromyography in ten neurologically intact humans walking on a treadmill at 0 and 50% body weight support (BWS), and recumbent stepping using a commercially available exercise machine. Cross correlation of upper and lower limb electromyography patterns between conditions revealed high correlations for most muscles. A principal component analysis revealed that the first factor accounted for more muscle activation signal content during recumbent stepping (81%) than during walking (70%). This indicates that the motor pattern during walking is more complex than during stepping. Cross correlation analysis found a high correlation between factors for recumbent stepping and walking (R = 0.54), though not as high as the correlation between factors for walking at 0% BWS and walking at 50% BWS (R = 0.68). There were substantial differences in joint kinematics between walking and recumbent stepping, most notably in hip, elbow, and shoulder motions. These results suggest that although the two tasks have different kinematic patterns, recumbent stepping relies on similar neural networks as walking. Individuals with neurological impairments may be able to improve walking ability from recumbent stepping practice given similarities in neural control between the two tasks.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Zaineb Bohra, Kate Havens, Pei-Chun Kao, Catherine Kinnaird, and Jamie Lukos for assistance with data collection. We also thank members of the Human Neuromechanics Laboratory for comments on drafts of the manuscript. This project was supported by grants from the Paralyzed Veterans of America Spinal Cord Research Foundation and the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Movement Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2214, USA

    Rebecca H. Stoloff & Daniel P. Ferris

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2214, USA

    Rebecca H. Stoloff

  3. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2214, USA

    Daniel P. Ferris

  4. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2214, USA

    Daniel P. Ferris

  5. Rehabilitation Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8W 3N4, Canada

    E. Paul Zehr

  6. Division of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, 401 Washtenaw Ave, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2214, USA

    Daniel P. Ferris

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  1. Rebecca H. Stoloff
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  2. E. Paul Zehr
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  3. Daniel P. Ferris
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Correspondence to Daniel P. Ferris.

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Stoloff, R.H., Zehr, E.P. & Ferris, D.P. Recumbent stepping has similar but simpler neural control compared to walking. Exp Brain Res 178, 427–438 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-006-0745-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-006-0745-7

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