title: Center of pressure and center of mass behavior during gait initiation on inclined surfaces: A statistical parametric mapping analysis.
abstract: This study analyzed gait initiation (GI) on inclined surfaces with 68 young adult subjects of both sexes. Ground reaction forces and moments were collected using two AMTI force platforms, of which one was in a horizontal position and the other was inclined by 8% in relation to the horizontal plane. Departing from a standing position, each participant executed three trials in the following conditions: horizontal position (HOR), inclined position at ankle dorsi-flexion (UP), and inclined position at ankle plantar-flexion (DOWN). Statistical parametric mapping analysis was performed over the entire center of pressure (COP) and center of mass (COM) time series. COP excursion did not show significant differences in the medial-lateral (ML) direction in both inclined conditions, but it was greater in the anterior-posterior (AP) direction for both inclined conditions. COP velocities are smaller in discrete portions of GI for the UP and DOWN conditions. COM displacement was greater in the ML direction during anticipatory postural adjustments (APA) in the UP condition, and COM moves faster in the ML direction during APA in the UP condition but slower at the end of GI for both the UP and the DOWN conditions. The COP-COM vector showed a greater angle in the DOWN condition. We observed changes for COP and COM in GI in both the UP and the DOWN conditions, with the latter showing changes for a great extent of the task. Both the UP and the DOWN conditions showed increased COM displacement and velocity. The predominant characteristic during GI on inclined surfaces, including APA, appears to be the displacement of the COM.
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering and Biomechanics Laboratory, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil. Electronic address: marcus.fraga.vieira@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marcus Fraga
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering and Biomechanics Laboratory, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ademir Alves
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: de Brito
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering and Biomechanics Laboratory, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
authors.forename: Georgia Cristina
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Lehnen
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering and Biomechanics Laboratory, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fábio Barbosa
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000502:physiology; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance; D011187:Posture; D011312:Pressure; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Braking of the COM fall; COP-COM vector; Gait initiation; Inclined surface; Statistical parametric mapping