Influence of treadmill velocity on spatio-temporal parameters of human gait

The paper represents a part of a study designed to assess the feasibility of treadmill-based gait analysis in relation to the treadmill velocity. The measurements were realized using Zebris measuring system CMS-HS and a commercially available Hammer Walkrunner Pro Treadmill. One young healthy volunteer (female, 27 years old) was involved in the study. To evaluate the spatio-temporal parameters, the investigated subject performed treadmill-based gait with eleven velocities, from 1 km/h to 5 km/h. The main spatio-temporal parameters which have been analyzed are length of stance and swing phase in percentage, step length, stride length, stride time, double support time, and cadence. The gait symmetry was also analyzed based on the symmetry of the spatio-temporal parameters between the lower limbs. We concluded that linear tendencies are recorded for swing and stance phases and for step and stride lengths, when the treadmill's velocity is changing. From the range of velocities, the one corresponding to the statistically normal percentages of stance and swing was at 5 km/h.