title: Biomechanical characteristics of adults walking forward and backward in water at different stride frequencies.
abstract: The aim of this study was to examine spatiotemporal characteristics and joint angles during forward and backward walking in water at low and high stride frequency. Eight healthy adults (22.1 ± 1.1 years) walked forward and backward underwater at low (50 pulses) and high frequency (80 pulses) at the xiphoid process level with arms crossed at the chest. The main differences observed were that the participants presented a greater speed (0.58 vs. 0.85 m/s) and more asymmetry of the step length (1.24 vs. 1.48) at high frequency whilst the stride and step length (0.84 vs. 0.7 m and 0.43 vs. 0.35 m, respectively) were lower compared to low frequency (P < 0.05). Support phase duration was higher at forward walking than backward walking (61.2 vs. 59.0%). At initial contact, we showed that during forward walking, the ankle and hip presented more flexion than during backward walking (ankle: 84.0 vs. 91.8º and hip: 22.8 vs. 8.0º; P < 0.001). At final stance, the knee and hip were more flexed at low frequency than at high frequency (knee: 150.0 vs. 157.0º and hip: -12.2 vs. -14.5º; P < 0.001). The knee angle showed more flexion at forward walking (134.0º) than backward walking (173.1º) (P < 0.001). In conclusion, these results show how forward and backward walking in water at different frequencies differ and contribute to a better understanding of this activity in training and rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences , University of Granada , Granada , Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cadenas-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences , University of Granada , Granada , Spain.
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arellano
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences , University of Granada , Granada , Spain.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taladriz
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences , University of Granada , Granada , Spain.
authors.forename: Gracia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: López-Contreras
mesh_terms: D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000502:physiology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: frequency; gait; kinematics; locomotion; spatiotemporal