Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, 122 Florida Gym, PO Box 118205, Gainesville, FL 32611-8205, USA.
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2013 Mar;113(3):729-34. doi: 10.1007/s00421-012-2477-7. Epub 2012 Aug 30.
During split-belt treadmill walking the speed of the treadmill under one limb is faster than the belt under the contralateral limb. This unique intervention has shown evidence of acutely improving gait impairments in individuals with neurologic impairment such as stroke and Parkinson's disease. However, oxygen use, heart rate and perceived effort associated with split-belt treadmill walking are unknown and may limit the utility of this locomotor intervention. To better understand the intensity of this new intervention, this study was undertaken to examine the oxygen consumption, oxygen cost, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion associated with split-belt treadmill walking in young healthy adults. Fifteen participants completed three sessions of treadmill walking: slow speed with belts tied, fast speed with belts tied, and split-belt walking with one leg walking at the fast speed and one leg walking at the slow speed. Oxygen consumption, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion were collected during each walking condition and oxygen cost was calculated. Results revealed that oxygen consumption, heart rate, and perceived effort associated with split-belt walking were higher than slow treadmill walking, but only oxygen consumption was significantly lower during both split-belt walking than fast treadmill walking. Oxygen cost associated with slow treadmill walking was significantly higher than fast treadmill walking. These findings have implications for using split-belt treadmill walking as a rehabilitation tool as the cost associated with split-belt treadmill walking may not be higher or potentially more detrimental than that associated with previously used treadmill training rehabilitation strategies.
在分带跑步机行走中，一条腿下的跑步机速度比对侧腿下的带速快。这种独特的干预措施已被证明可以急性改善脑卒中患者和帕金森病患者等神经功能障碍患者的步态障碍。然而，分带跑步机行走时的耗氧量、心率和感知用力情况尚不清楚，这可能限制了这种运动干预的应用。为了更好地了解这种新干预措施的强度，本研究旨在检查分带跑步机行走在年轻健康成年人中的耗氧量、耗氧量、心率和感知用力情况。15 名参与者完成了三次跑步机行走：绑带慢走、绑带快走和分带行走，其中一条腿快走，另一条腿慢走。在每种行走条件下收集耗氧量、心率和感知用力情况，并计算耗氧量。结果表明，分带行走的耗氧量、心率和感知用力情况高于慢走，但只有分带行走的耗氧量明显低于快走。与快走相比，慢走的耗氧量明显更高。这些发现对使用分带跑步机行走作为康复工具具有启示意义，因为分带跑步机行走的成本可能不比以前使用的跑步机训练康复策略更高或更具危害性。
