@article{ref1,
title="Locomotor patterns change over time when exposed to an uneven surface",
journal="Journal of experimental biology",
year="2019",
author="Kent, Jenny A. and Sommerfeld, Joel H. and Mukherjee, Mukul and Takahashi, Kota Z. and Stergiou, Nicholas",
volume="222",
number="Pt 14",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="During walking, uneven surfaces impose new demands for controlling balance and forward progression at each step. It is unknown the extent to which walking may be refined given a level of stride-to-stride unpredictability at distal level. Here, we explored the effects of an uneven terrain surface on whole-body locomotor dynamics on immediate exposure and after a familiarization period.  Eleven young, unimpaired adults walked for 12 minutes on flat and uneven terrain treadmills. The whole-body center of mass excursion range (COM<sub>EXC</sub>) and peak velocity (COM<sub>VEL</sub>), step length and width were estimated. On first exposure to uneven terrain, we saw significant increases in lateral COM<sub>EXC</sub> and COM<sub>VEL</sub>, and in the variability of COM<sub>EXC</sub>, COM<sub>VEL</sub> and foot placement in both anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions. Increases in step width and decreases in step length supported the immediate adoption of a cautious, restrictive solution on uneven terrain. After familiarization, step length increased and the variability of anterior-posterior COM<sub>VEL</sub> and step length reduced, while in the medial-lateral direction step width and COM<sub>VEL</sub> reduced, alluding to a refinement of movement and a reduction of conservative strategies over time. The variability of medial-lateral COM<sub>EXC</sub> and COM<sub>VEL</sub> increased, however, consistent with a release of previously constrained degrees of freedom. Despite this increase in variability, a strong relationship between step width and medial-lateral COM movement was maintained.Our results indicate that movement strategies of unimpaired adults when walking on uneven terrain can evolve over time with longer exposure to the surface.<br><br>© 2019. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0022-0949",
doi="10.1242/jeb.202093",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.202093"
}