Effect of progressive horizontal resistive force on the comfortable walking speed of individuals post- XXXX .

@entity1158 @entity4464 @entity1 @entity64
BACKGROUND: Individuals post- @entity64 select slow @entity4464 ( @entity4464 ) and the major factors used to select their @entity4464 is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent to which slow @entity4464 post- @entity64 is achieved through matching a relative force output or targeting a particular walking speed. METHODS: Ten neurologically nonimpaired individuals and fourteen chronic @entity64 survivors with @entity1158 were recruited. @entity1 were instructed to "walk at the speed that feels most comfortable" on a treadmill against 12 progressively increasing horizontal resistive force levels applied at the pelvis using a robotic system that allowed @entity1 to self-select their walking speed. We compared slope coefficients of the simple linear regressions between the observed normalized force vs. normalized speed relationship in each group to a slope of -1.0 (i.e. ideal slope for a constant relative force output) and 0.0 (i.e. ideal slope for a constant relative speed). We also compared slope coefficients between groups. RESULTS: The slope coefficients were significantly greater than -1.0 (p   <   0.001 for both) and significantly less than 0 (p   <   0.001 for both). However, compared with nonimpaired individuals, @entity1 post- @entity64 were less able to maintain their walking speed (p   =   0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provide evidence for a complex interaction between the regulation of relative force output and intention to move at a particular speed in the selection of the @entity4464 for individuals post- @entity64 . This would suggest that therapeutic interventions should not only focus on task specific lower-limb strengthening exercises (e.g. walking against resistance), but should also focus on increasing the range of speeds at which @entity1 can safely walk.
