Background Generation and regulation (control) of linear and angular momentum is a challenge during turning while walking which may be exacerbated by age-related changes. In healthy older adults, little is known about how momentum is controlled during turns, especially within each phase of gait. Each phase of gait affords unique mechanical contexts to control momenta and regulate balance. In healthy young adults, we found that the transverse-plane linear and angular momenta generation strategies observed within specific phases of gait during straight-line gait were also used during turns. Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether healthy older adults shared similar momentum control strategies specific to each gait phase during straight-line gait and turns. Methods Nine healthy older adults completed straight-line gait and 90° leftward walking turns. We compared the change in transverse-plane whole-body linear and angular momentum across gait phases (left and right single and double support). We also compared the average leftward force and transverse-plane moment across gait phases. Results We found that leftward linear momentum was generated most during right single support in straight-line gait and leftward turns. However, in contrast to straight-line gait, during leftward turns, average leftward force was applied across gait phases, with left single support generating significantly less leftward average force than other gait phases. Leftward angular momentum generation and average moment were greatest during left double support in both tasks. We observed some within-participant results that diverged from the group statistical findings, illustrating that although they are common, these momenta control strategies are not necessary. Conclusions Older adults generated transverse-plane linear and angular momentum during consistent phases of gait during straight-line gait and 90° turns, potentially indicating a shared control strategy. Understanding momentum control within each phase of gait can help design more specific targets in gait and balance training interventions.
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Koopman Modeling of Human Gait Dynamics for Global Modal Analysis Using Periodic Motion Regularization
This paper presents a data driven global linear model of steady state walking dynamics. Instantaneous whole body angular momentum is a physics informed aggregate quantity used as a marker for dynamic balance during locomotion. Gait dynamics are often modeled as hybrid and nonlinear. We propose using Koopman Operators to model the gait stability dynamics with a global, linear model. This is achieved by augmenting the whole body angular momentum state variables with learned observables, or basis functions, such that the dynamics look linear in the lifted dimension. Considering that the gait dynamics are periodic, a regularization term that encourages the state transition matrix to be orthonormal is added to the loss term when learning the observables. This forces a periodic model to be learned and prevents the likelihood of unstable poles. A low average MSE was obtained over 2 gait cycles for different population types, each with slightly differing gait dynamics. Furthermore, this linear representation enables the use of linear analysis tools that could have clinical implications for assessing the gait of different patient groups.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2133072
- PAR ID:
- 10613388
- Publisher / Repository:
- American Automatic Control Council
- Date Published:
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- Koopman operators Gait dynamics Whole-body angular momentum
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Location:
- American Control Conference, Denver CO
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract Turning while walking is ubiquitous and requires linear and angular momenta generation to redirect the body’s trajectory and rotate towards the new direction of travel. This study examined strategies that healthy young adults used during each gait phase to generate transverse-plane momenta during pre-planned and late-cued 90° turns. During leftward turns, we expected that momenta would be generated most during the gait phases known to generate leftward linear and angular momenta during straight line gait. We found distinct roles of gait phases towards generating momenta during turns that partially supported our hypotheses. Supporting one hypothesis, the change in transverse-plane angular momentum and average moment were greater during double support with the left foot in front vs. other gait phases. Also, the change in leftward linear momentum and average leftward force were greater during right single support vs. other gait phases during straight-line gait and late-cued turns. However, during pre-planned turns, the average leftward force was not significantly greater during right single support vs. other gait phases. Overall, transverse-plane angular momentum generation during turns is similar to its generation during straight-line gait, suggesting that healthy young adults can leverage momenta control strategies used during straight-line gait during turns.more » « less
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