The elevated metabolic cost of walking at preferred speeds of healthy elderly on treadmills compared to overground is not related to increased self-reported anxiety.

Purpose: To investigate whether the elevation in metabolic cost of walking on treadmills compared to overground for healthy elderly is related to self-reported anxiety and if changes in self-reported anxiety are related to changes in heart rate.

Methods: We measured overground preferred walking speed, oxygen consumption rate and heart rates during rest and walking, and self-reported anxiety in 10 elderly (mean age 69.5 ± 3.

Metabolic cost in healthy fit older adults and young adults during overground and treadmill walking.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether net metabolic cost of walking is affected by age per se.

Methods: We selected 10 healthy, active older adults (mean age 75 years) and 10 young adults (mean age 26 years), and determined their preferred overground walking speed. On the same day, in a morning and afternoon session, we had them walk at that speed overground and on a treadmill while we measured oxygen consumption rate.

Inverse dynamics of mechanical multibody systems: An improved algorithm that ensures consistency between kinematics and external forces.

Inverse dynamics is a technique in which measured kinematics and, possibly, external forces are used to calculate net joint torques in a rigid body linked segment model. However, kinematics and forces are usually not consistent due to incorrect modelling assumptions and measurement errors. This is commonly resolved by introducing 'residual forces and torques' which compensate for this problem, but do not exist in reality.