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Lower limb kinematics during treadmill walking after space flight: implications for gaze stabilizationWe examined the lower limb joint kinematics observed during pre- and postflight treadmill walking performed by seven subjects from three Space Shuttle flights flown between March 1992 and February 1994. Basic temporal characteristics of the gait patterns, such as stride time and duty cycle, showed no significant changes after flight. Evaluation of phaseplane variability across the gait cycle suggests that postflight treadmill walking is more variable than preflight, but the response throughout the course of a cycle is joint dependent and, furthermore, the changes are subject dependent. However, analysis of the phaseplane variability at the specific locomotor events of heel strike and toe off indicated statistically significant postflight increases in knee variability at the moment of heel strike and significantly higher postflight hip joint variability at the moment of toe off. Nevertheless, the observation of component-specific variability was not sufficient to cause a change in the overall lower limb joint system stability, since there was no significant change in an index used to evaluate this at both toe off and heel strike. The implications of the observed lower limb kinematics for head and gaze control during locomotion are discussed in light of a hypothesized change in the energy attenuation capacity of the musculoskeletal system in adapting to weightlessness.
Document ID
20040173104
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
McDonald, P. V.
(KRUG Life Sciences Houston, TX 77058-2769, United States)
Basdogan, C.
Bloomberg, J. J.
Layne, C. S.
Date Acquired
August 22, 2013
Publication Date
November 1, 1996
Publication Information
Publication: Experimental brain research. Experimentelle Hirnforschung. Experimentation cerebrale
Volume: 112
Issue: 2
ISSN: 0014-4819
Subject Category
Aerospace Medicine
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
NASA Discipline Number 16-10
NASA Center JSC
NASA Program Flight
short duration
manned
STS Shuttle Project
NASA Program Space Physiology and Countermeasures
NASA Discipline Neuroscience
Flight Experiment
NASA Discipline Number 00-00

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