Self-Organization of the Lower Limb Motion in Human Locomotion

Abstract

Change in leg motion patterns with the increase in locomotion velocity was investigated through the kinematic analysis of treadmill-walking and-running of four male subjects. The landmark coordinates of the lower limb obtained by using a real-time motion measurement system were used to calculate joint angles of the hip, knee and ankle. The results obtained from this research were as follows:

(1) Leg motion patterns described by joint angles of the lower limb are apparently different between walking and running although treadmill velocity was equivalent in the walking and running.

(2) The transition of motion between walking and running was realized by the change in the flexion and extension patterns of the ankle and hip joints.

(3) Since Lyapunov exponent varied with the change in evolution time used in the calculation of the exponent, it may be necessary to reconsider the method of calculating Lyapunov exponents and judgment if time-series data has chaotic properties.