Relationship between Trailing Limb Angle and Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle Activity at Different Walking Speeds

Abstract

[Purpose] To clarify the relationship between the trailing limb angle (TLA) and muscle activity of the medial head of the gastrocnemius (medial gastrocnemius) at different walking speeds. [Participants and Methods] We instructed 28 healthy men to walk at their comfortable and maximum speeds, and measured TLA and medial gastrocnemius muscle activity (integrated electrogram: iEMG) during each walking. [Results] During comfortable walking, there was a significant positive correlation between walking speed and TLA, but not between walking speed and iEMG. During maximum speed walking, there was a significant positive correlation between walking speed and TLA and between walking speed and iEMG. [Conclusion] The results suggest that the relationships among the 3 factors, walking speed, medial gastrocnemius muscle activity, and TLA, vary between comfortable and maximum speed walking.