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Simulations suggest walking with reduced propulsive force would not mitigate the energetic consequences of lower tendon stiffness.
- Source :
- PLoS ONE; 10/26/2023, Vol. 18 Issue 10, p1-22, 22p
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Aging elicits numerous effects that impact both musculoskeletal structure and walking function. Tendon stiffness (k<subscript>T</subscript>) and push-off propulsive force (F<subscript>P</subscript>) both impact the metabolic cost of walking and are diminished by age, yet their interaction has not been studied. We combined experimental and computational approaches to investigate whether age-related changes in function (adopting smaller F<subscript>P</subscript>) may be adopted to mitigate the metabolic consequences arising from changes in structure (reduced k<subscript>T</subscript>). We recruited 12 young adults and asked them to walk on a force-sensing treadmill while prompting them to change F<subscript>P</subscript> (±20% & ±40% of typical) using targeted biofeedback. In models driven by experimental data from each of those conditions, we altered the k<subscript>T</subscript> of personalized musculoskeletal models across a physiological range (2–8% strain) and simulated individual-muscle metabolic costs for each k<subscript>T</subscript> and F<subscript>P</subscript> combination. We found that k<subscript>T</subscript> and F<subscript>P</subscript> independently affect walking metabolic cost, increasing with higher k<subscript>T</subscript> or as participants deviated from their typical F<subscript>P</subscript>. Our results show no evidence for an interaction between k<subscript>T</subscript> and F<subscript>P</subscript> in younger adults walking at fixed speeds. We also reveal complex individual muscle responses to the k<subscript>T</subscript> and F<subscript>P</subscript> landscape. For example, although total metabolic cost increased by 5% on average with combined reductions in k<subscript>T</subscript> and F<subscript>P</subscript>, the triceps surae muscles experienced a 7% local cost reduction on average. Our simulations suggest that reducing F<subscript>P</subscript> during walking would not mitigate the metabolic consequences of lower k<subscript>T</subscript>. Wearable devices and rehabilitative strategies can focus on either k<subscript>T</subscript> or F<subscript>P</subscript> to reduce age-related increases in walking metabolic cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- YOUNG adults
COST control
TENDONS
WALKING speed
PHYSIOLOGICAL models
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 19326203
- Volume :
- 18
- Issue :
- 10
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- PLoS ONE
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 173236397
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293331