Gait Dynamics and Locomotor Metabolism
Abstract
Walking is a primary form of physical activity that has fundamental effects on the physiological status of the soldier: caloric requirements, heat and hydration status and mission readiness of soldiers can all be directly impacted by the locomotor metabolic rates that they incur in the field. The objective of the current work is to use our energetics-mechanics model to develop basic relationships between height, weight (body, or body + load), walking speed and the metabolic cost of walking in the laboratory and to apply these quantitative relationships to improve estimates of the metabolic cost of walking in the field. Our first hypothesis is that the generalized equation provided by our new gait mechanics model predicts the metabolic cost of weighted and unweighted walking more accurately than existing generalized equations. Our second hypothesis is that weighted and unweighted walking metabolic rates can be estimated in field settings from simple technologies such as gps monitors and pedometers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA618434
Entities
People
- Peter G Weyand
Organizations
- Southern Methodist University