Age-related differences in muscle co-activation during locomotion and their relationship with gait speed: a pilot study

BMC Geriatrics

Research Article

Byung-Ok Choi¹  Hwang-Jae Lee²  Yun-Hee Kim²  Won Hyuk Chang²  Gyu-Ha Ryu³ 

[1] Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Center, Samsung Medical Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Irwon-ro 81, 135-710, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea;Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Center for Prevention and Rehabilitation, Heart Vascular and Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Irwon-ro 81, 135-710, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea;Office of Biomedical Science, Research Center for Future Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Irwon-ro 81, 135-710, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea;

关键词: Aging;    Co-activation;    Electromyography;    Gait speed;    Stability;    Locomotion;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12877-017-0417-4

 received in 2016-06-18, accepted in 2017-01-09,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundMuscle co-activation plays an important role in enhancing joint stability for movement regulation during motor learning activities. In normal aging, greater muscle co-activation is induced during gait in elderly adults. This study investigated age-related changes in muscle co-activation and spatio-temporal parameters during gait and identified the relationship between muscle co-activation and gait speed.MethodsA total of 46 adult volunteers participated in this study in three age groups (15 young adults [8 males, 7 females; age, 24.27 ± 2.71], 15 middle-aged adults [8 males, 7 females; age, 53.71 ± 2.52], and 16 elderly adults [7 males, 9 females; age, 76.88 ± 3.48]). All participants underwent locomotion analysis using a Three-dimensional motion analysis system and 12-channel dynamic electromyography.ResultsThe elderly adults showed significantly higher co-activation than the young and middle-aged adults during gait (p < 0.05). In contrast, elderly adults showed significantly lower trunk co-activation than the young and middle-aged adults (p < 0.05). Muscle co-activation was significantly correlated with gait speed by aging. Muscle co-activation of the trunk showed a significant positive correlation with gait speed based on age. However, muscle co-activation of the lower extremity showed a significant negative correlation with gait speed based on age.ConclusionThis finding demonstrated that less muscle co-activation of the trunk was related to locomotive instability in elderly adults. Therefore, clarification of the relationship between trunk co-activation and locomotor instability will be helpful for developing optimal rehabilitation of elderly people to prevent fall.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017