Differences in Ankle Neuromuscular Control Between the Preferred Speed and Fixed Speeds During Walking
Walking at the preferred speed, considered as a self-optimized gait pattern, is associated with improved energy conservation and cognitive abilities. However, the neuromuscular mechanisms underlying the benefits of the preferred walking speed remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to determine...
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| Format: | Article |
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IEEE
2025-01-01
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| Series: | IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10879089/ |
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| author | Ting Yu Shaofeng Zhao Yueling Lyu Xianyi Zhang |
| author_facet | Ting Yu Shaofeng Zhao Yueling Lyu Xianyi Zhang |
| author_sort | Ting Yu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Walking at the preferred speed, considered as a self-optimized gait pattern, is associated with improved energy conservation and cognitive abilities. However, the neuromuscular mechanisms underlying the benefits of the preferred walking speed remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the differences in ankle neuromuscular control between the preferred and fixed speeds during walking. Eighteen healthy young adults were recruited to perform overground barefoot walking at the preferred speed, the prefer-matched control speed (PMCS), slower fixed speeds (1, 2, 3 and 4 km/h) and faster fixed speeds (5 and 6 km/h). Muscle synergies and intermuscular coherence were calculated using surface electromyography (EMG) signals of ankle muscles. Results showed that the preferred walking speed exhibited one less muscle synergy and higher intermuscular coherence in 8-42 Hz than the PMCS. Additionally, slow walking speeds performed more muscle synergies and weaker couplings between plantar flexors in 26-60 Hz than the preferred speed and faster fixed speeds. Our results demonstrate an impact of the preferred walking speed on ankle neuromuscular control during walking, which might influence energy consumption and brain resource occupation. Besides, the preferred walking speed and faster fixed speeds showed comparable modular control characteristics of ankle muscles, which might provide suggestions for experimental settings when examining individuals’ natural neuromuscular control features. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-43f347daa0ff4142919a3e8f94530f5a |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1534-4320 1558-0210 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IEEE |
| record_format | Article |
| series | IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-43f347daa0ff4142919a3e8f94530f5a2025-08-20T03:07:14ZengIEEEIEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering1534-43201558-02102025-01-013379880610.1109/TNSRE.2025.354005410879089Differences in Ankle Neuromuscular Control Between the Preferred Speed and Fixed Speeds During WalkingTing Yu0https://orcid.org/0009-0008-1377-807XShaofeng Zhao1https://orcid.org/0009-0008-0711-6029Yueling Lyu2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8024-2901Xianyi Zhang3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3950-7488Key Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instrument of Guangdong Province, School of Biomedical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, ChinaSino-German College of Intelligent Manufacturing, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen, ChinaKey Laboratory of Sensing Technology and Biomedical Instrument of Guangdong Province, School of Biomedical Engineering, and Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Center of Advanced and Portable Medical Devices, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, ChinaWalking at the preferred speed, considered as a self-optimized gait pattern, is associated with improved energy conservation and cognitive abilities. However, the neuromuscular mechanisms underlying the benefits of the preferred walking speed remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the differences in ankle neuromuscular control between the preferred and fixed speeds during walking. Eighteen healthy young adults were recruited to perform overground barefoot walking at the preferred speed, the prefer-matched control speed (PMCS), slower fixed speeds (1, 2, 3 and 4 km/h) and faster fixed speeds (5 and 6 km/h). Muscle synergies and intermuscular coherence were calculated using surface electromyography (EMG) signals of ankle muscles. Results showed that the preferred walking speed exhibited one less muscle synergy and higher intermuscular coherence in 8-42 Hz than the PMCS. Additionally, slow walking speeds performed more muscle synergies and weaker couplings between plantar flexors in 26-60 Hz than the preferred speed and faster fixed speeds. Our results demonstrate an impact of the preferred walking speed on ankle neuromuscular control during walking, which might influence energy consumption and brain resource occupation. Besides, the preferred walking speed and faster fixed speeds showed comparable modular control characteristics of ankle muscles, which might provide suggestions for experimental settings when examining individuals’ natural neuromuscular control features.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10879089/Intermuscular coherencemuscle synergyneuromuscular controlpreferred walking speed |
| spellingShingle | Ting Yu Shaofeng Zhao Yueling Lyu Xianyi Zhang Differences in Ankle Neuromuscular Control Between the Preferred Speed and Fixed Speeds During Walking IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering Intermuscular coherence muscle synergy neuromuscular control preferred walking speed |
| title | Differences in Ankle Neuromuscular Control Between the Preferred Speed and Fixed Speeds During Walking |
| title_full | Differences in Ankle Neuromuscular Control Between the Preferred Speed and Fixed Speeds During Walking |
| title_fullStr | Differences in Ankle Neuromuscular Control Between the Preferred Speed and Fixed Speeds During Walking |
| title_full_unstemmed | Differences in Ankle Neuromuscular Control Between the Preferred Speed and Fixed Speeds During Walking |
| title_short | Differences in Ankle Neuromuscular Control Between the Preferred Speed and Fixed Speeds During Walking |
| title_sort | differences in ankle neuromuscular control between the preferred speed and fixed speeds during walking |
| topic | Intermuscular coherence muscle synergy neuromuscular control preferred walking speed |
| url | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10879089/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tingyu differencesinankleneuromuscularcontrolbetweenthepreferredspeedandfixedspeedsduringwalking AT shaofengzhao differencesinankleneuromuscularcontrolbetweenthepreferredspeedandfixedspeedsduringwalking AT yuelinglyu differencesinankleneuromuscularcontrolbetweenthepreferredspeedandfixedspeedsduringwalking AT xianyizhang differencesinankleneuromuscularcontrolbetweenthepreferredspeedandfixedspeedsduringwalking |