Velocity field diagram of human gait.

The gaits of 46 healthy adults were analysed. Subjects were requested to walk at five speeds varying from very slow to very fast. For each subject, the mean values of velocity, stride length and stride frequency were then used to make a velocity field diagram (VFD). The VFD is a graph formed by the values of the mentioned gait parameters versus speed numbers (1-5-derived by serially numbering the five speeds of walking, from very slow to very fast) and is composed of many descriptors. The speed number were called velotypes and given a unit-the velot. A typical gait in which the change in velocity is equal to the sum of the changes of and stride length and stride frequency was also described. A velotopic localization (mapping) of gait velocity in the central nervous system (CNS) on the grounds of available VFD evidence was proposed. A theoretical analysis of parts of the CNS projected the cerebellum as the location of the mapping.