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COACTIVATION OF LOWER LEG MUSCLES DURING BODY WEIGHT-SUPPORTED TREADMILL WALKING DECREASES WITH AGE IN ADOLESCENTS.
- Source :
- Perceptual & Motor Skills; Aug2012, Vol. 115 Issue 1, p241-260, 20p, 1 Black and White Photograph, 2 Charts, 4 Graphs
- Publication Year :
- 2012
-
Abstract
- The kinematics of children's walking are nearly adult-like by about age 3-4 years, but metabolic efficiency of walking does not reach adult values until late in adolescence or early adulthood, perhaps due to higher coactivation of agonist/antagonist muscle pairs in adolescents. Additionally, it is unknown how use of a body weight-supported treadmill device affects coactivation, but because unloading will alter the activity of anti-gravity muscles, it was hypothesized that muscle coactivation will be altered as well. Muscle coactivation during treadmill walking was evaluated for adolescents (ages 10 to 17 years, M = 13.2, SD = 2.2) and adults (ages 22 to 35 years, M = 25.2, SD = 4.3), for thigh muscles (vastus lateralis/ biceps femoris) and lower leg muscles (tibialis anterior/gastrocnemius). Conditions included body weight unloadings from nearly 0% to 80% of body weight, while walking at a preferred speed (self-selected, overground speed) or a reduced speed. Unloading was accomplished using a lower body positive pressure support system. Coactivation was found to be higher in adolescents than in adults, but only for the lower leg muscles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00315125
- Volume :
- 115
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Perceptual & Motor Skills
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 83643114
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.2466/26.06.25.PMS.115.4.241-260