Background

The differences and relationship between joint stiffness and leg stiffness can be used to characterize the lower limb behavior during different walking speeds.

Research question

This study aimed to investigate the differences in whole leg and lower limb joint stiffness at different walking speeds and the interactions between leg and lower limb joint stiffness.

Methods

Twenty-seven healthy adults, seventeen males (age: 19.6 ± 2.2 years, height: 176.0 ± 6.0 cm, mass: 69.7 ± 8.9 kg), and ten females (age: 19.1 ± 1.9 years, height: 164.0 ± 3.0 cm, mass: 59.6 ± 3.8 kg), were recruited. Dynamic leg and joint stiffness were calculated during eccentric loading from data recorded using 3D infrared motion analysis and force plates at slow, normal, and fast walking speeds. Differences in dynamic stiffness, joint angles and moments were explored between the walking speeds using Repeated Measures ANOVA with Sidak post-hoc tests. Correlations between leg, joint stiffness, and walking speed were also explored.

Results

The results indicated that the leg dynamic stiffness is decreased by walking speed, however, hip and ankle joint stiffness were increased (p < 0.001) and knee stiffness was unaffected. Leg stiffness showed no correlation with hip, knee, or ankle stiffness. A positive significant correlation was seen between hip and ankle stiffness (p < 0.01) and between knee and ankle stiffness (p < 0.001), however, no correlation was seen between hip and knee stiffness.

Significance

These results suggest leg stiffness is not associated with lower limb joint stiffness during eccentric loading. This provides new information on the responses of ankle, knee and hip joint stiffness to walking speed.

中文翻译：

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健康成年人在不同步行速度下的腿和下肢动态关节僵硬

背景

关节刚度和腿部刚度之间的差异和关系可以用来表征在不同步行速度下下肢的行为。

研究问题

这项研究旨在调查在不同的步行速度下全腿和下肢关节刚度的差异以及腿和下肢关节刚度之间的相互作用。

方法

健康的成年人27名，男性17名（年龄：19.6±2.2岁，身高：176.0±6.0 cm，体重：69.7±8.9 kg），以及十名女性（年龄：19.1±1.9岁，身高：164.0±3.0 cm，体重） ：59.6±3.8公斤）。通过使用3D红外运动分析和测力板在慢速，正常和快速行走速度下记录的数据，计算偏心负荷期间的动态腿和关节刚度。使用重复测量方差分析和Sidak事后测试，研究了步行速度之间动态刚度，关节角度和力矩的差异。还探讨了腿部，关节僵硬和步行速度之间的相关性。

结果

结果表明，步行速度会降低腿部动态刚度，但髋和踝关节刚度会增加（p  <0.001），膝盖刚度不受影响。腿部僵硬与髋部，膝盖或踝部僵硬没有关系。髋部和踝部僵硬之间呈正显着正相关（p <0.01），膝部和踝部僵硬之间呈正相关（p <0.001），但是髋部和膝部僵硬之间没有相关性。

意义

这些结果表明，在偏心负荷期间，腿部僵硬与下肢关节僵硬无关。这提供了有关踝关节，膝盖和髋关节刚度对步行速度的反应的新信息。