Kinematics of center of mass and center of pressure predict friction requirement at shoe-floor interface during walking

Takeshi Yamaguchi, Masaru Yano, Hiroshi Onodera, Kazuo Hokkirigawa

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We aimed to determine whether inclination angles of the line connecting the whole body center of mass (COM) to the center of pressure (COP) (COM-COP angle) help predict the required coefficient of friction (RCOF) in young adult males during the weight acceptance and push-off phases in transient movements such as turning, gait termination and initiation, and steady-state movements such as straight walking. Seventeen healthy young adult males were asked to (1) walk in a straight line, (2) turn 60° with either foot (step and spin turns), and (3) initiate and terminate walking on a dry level floor. Peak absolute values of the ratio between resultant horizontal and vertical ground reaction forces during the weight acceptance and push-off phases (RCOFh and RCOFt, respectively) were calculated. COM-COP angles θh and θt at the instant of RCOFh and RCOFt, respectively, were also calculated. Bivariate regression analysis demonstrated that the |θh| and |θt| tangents were significant predictors of RCOFh (R=0.878; R2=0.770; p<0.001) and RCOFt (R=0.918; R2=0.843; p<0.001), respectively. The results suggest that COM and COP kinematics (i.e., the COM-COP angle) serve as a predictor of friction requirement during the weight acceptance and push-off phases in steady-state movements such as straight walking and transient movements such as turning as well as gait termination and initiation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)209-214
Number of pages6
JournalGait and Posture
Volume38
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013 Jun

Keywords

  • Center of mass
  • Center of pressure
  • Required coefficient of friction
  • Slips and falls
  • Turn

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Kinematics of center of mass and center of pressure predict friction requirement at shoe-floor interface during walking'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this