The effect of velocity on the strategies used during gait termination

The purpose of this study was to examine the changes that occur in gait termination (GT) as cadence increases. Five healthy volunteers walked at three cadences in time to a metronome under the following conditions: normal walking, planned stopping and unplanned stopping. Electromyography and force plate data were collected at 1000 Hz. Peak posterior ground reaction force (deceleration force) was greatest for the lead limb in unplanned stopping and, in general, deceleration force increased as cadence increased. Duration of muscle activity relative to the time to peak loading was unchanged by cadence and was always longest in the lead limb during planned stopping. As cadence increases, the signal to stop must occur earlier during stance phase if a person is to stop in the subsequent step. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.