Human Movement Science最新文献

{"title":"Temporal framing of external focus instructions enhances golf putting accuracy in novices","authors":"Thomas Simpson ,&nbsp;Leyton Cory ,&nbsp;Callum Queen ,&nbsp;Robin Owen ,&nbsp;Esmaeel Saemi ,&nbsp;David Marchant","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103429","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103429","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A plethora of studies have investigated internal and external foci of attention effects on motor performance. However, few studies have considered the temporal aspects of these foci. Within the present study, 26 novice participants (22 males, 4 females; Aged 18–21 years) were instructed to focus their attention either on maintaining a square clubface at impact (i.e., swing-impact condition) or maintaining a square clubhead throughout the swing (i.e., throughout-swing condition). Although both conditions were external foci, it was hypothesised that the swing-impact would provide more task-relevant information and facilitate movement automaticity during the backswing and follow-through. Participants who focused on maintaining a square clubface at impact demonstrated significantly better putting accuracy than those who focused on maintaining a square clubface throughout the swing (<em>p</em> = .047). These findings highlight how subtle changes in instructional language, particularly those that affect temporal components, affect motor performance. Instructions may be optimal when they focus attention for a short temporal duration and only on the most task-relevant point of execution (e.g., impact). Future studies are encouraged to explore the interaction between temporal and task-relevance features of instruction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"105 ","pages":"Article 103429"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145685598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Wearable eye-tracking of visuomotor strategies in table tennis players of diverse expertise and cognitive function in a naturalistic environment","authors":"Alejandro Guiseris-Santaflorentina ,&nbsp;Ana Sanchez-Cano ,&nbsp;Elvira Orduna-Hospital","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103448","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103448","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding how gaze behaviour and visuomotor control vary across populations is crucial for optimizing performance and training in fast-paced sports. However, studies involving athletes with cognitive disabilities remain limited, particularly in naturalistic environments. This study employed wearable eye-tracking technology to examine gaze behaviour and oculomotor control in table tennis players of differing skill levels and cognitive profiles. Forty-six participants were grouped as Professional athletes, Amateur players, individuals with Down syndrome (DS), or intellectual disabilities (ID). All completed table tennis-specific tasks in naturalistic environment training conditions while wearing a head-mounted eye-tracker. Oculomotor metrics, including fixation frequency and duration, saccade frequency and velocity, and pupil diameter, were analysed. Fixation duration did not differ across groups (≈272–301 ms; <em>p</em> = 0.984, η² = −0.032), whereas fixation frequency varied: ID participants (80.67 ± 6.81 %) and Amateurs (78.98 ± 5.22 %) showed higher and more consistent rates, DS participants were lower and more variable (74.56 ± 17.37 %), and Professionals maintained moderately lower but strategically balanced frequency (77.78 ± 12.64 %). Although saccade metrics were not statistically significant, trends suggested more controlled patterns in Professionals (right eye (RE) length: 1414.63 ± 720.47 mm; longitudinal velocity: 13,888.52 ± 4242.25 mm/s) and higher variability in DS participants (RE length: 2254.03 ± 3215.55 mm; longitudinal velocity: 16,274.78 ± 6,837.21 mm/s). Pupil diameter was significantly larger in Professionals (RE: 5.26 ± 0.79 mm; left eye (LE): 5.40 ± 0.81 mm; <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001), indicating higher visual engagement and cognitive arousal. Binocular vergence metrics remained stable across groups, and gaze heat maps revealed more focused visual strategies in Professionals, while participants with DS and ID exhibited dispersed, less task-relevant fixations. These findings indicate that the accuracy of eye movements, rather than their duration, serves as a sensitive indicator of visuomotor expertise. In conclusion, wearable eye-tracking in naturalistic sport environment offers valuable insights into visual strategies across diverse populations and supports the development of tailored visual training programs, particularly for athletes with cognitive disabilities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"105 ","pages":"Article 103448"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145783592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparing the effects of faded vs. constant knowledge of results on the acquisition, retention, and transfer of a skilled walking task","authors":"Maya Sato-Klemm ,&nbsp;Alison M.M. Williams ,&nbsp;Amanda E. Chisholm ,&nbsp;Tania Lam","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103442","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103442","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The purpose of this study is to compare the use of faded and constant knowledge of results (KR) on skill acquisition, retention, and transfer in an end-point precision locomotion task.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Participants were trained in an end-point precision locomotion task where they were asked to match their peak foot height during the swing phase as closely as possible to a target height. Targets were normalized to individual foot trajectory. Participants were randomized to a constant KR group (KR presented after each trial) or a faded KR group (KR provided on 50 % of trials, distributed using a faded procedure). Before acquisition, and immediately, 24, and 48 h after acquisition, participants were tested on their performance of the task. Participants were also tested in a transfer task immediately, 24, and 48 h after acquisition, where they wore an ankle weight of 2.5 % of their body weight to complete the performance test.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Thirty-six healthy adults participated in this study. Our findings demonstrate that both constant and faded KR groups showed improvements in performance immediately after acquisition. However, the faded KR group outperformed the constant feedback group at 24 and 48 h with respect to both skill retention and transfer.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Faded KR leads to superior retention and transfer of an end-point precision locomotion task over time. Future research should explore these findings in clinical populations and the incorporation of other feedback modalities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"105 ","pages":"Article 103442"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145702887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Motor learning of a novel dynamic coordination task in the lower-limb of young healthy adults","authors":"Stephanie B. Hernandez-Hernandez ,&nbsp;Kristan A. Leech ,&nbsp;Peter G. Adamczyk","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103433","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103433","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding motor learning processes provides crucial insights into how individuals can recover function after neurological injury. While current research has advanced the understanding of motor learning in the upper limbs, exploration in the lower limb remains limited. This study aimed to elicit and quantify motor learning, skill retention and transfer, and aftereffects in lower-limb movements made by healthy young adults using a haptic robot. Participants interacted with a rotational spring-mass-damper virtual environment, learning to stabilize a virtual inertia disk at a target angular position with leg reaching movements. Baseline reaching and initial skill acquisition occurred on the first day. Skill retention was assessed after 22–48 h and inter-limb transfer was assessed by switching the leading leg. Aftereffects were measured by disabling the environment at the end of day two. Participants learned the novel task with their legs, reducing settling time and path length by 43 % and 48 %, by the end of day one. Retention was observed with a 40 % and 42 % reduction in settling time and path length at the start of the retention phase compared to beginning of initial acquisition. Inter-limb transfer resulted in a 43 % and 52 % decrease in settling time and path length at the start of the transfer phase. Lastly, aftereffects were detected, requiring washout to de-adapt to nominal movement with no environment. These findings suggest that lower-limb motor learning exhibits similar principles to upper-limb motor learning. Future work will study specific motor learning processes, like reinforcement learning, in the lower limbs and inform rehabilitation techniques.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"105 ","pages":"Article 103433"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145685597","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Speed-dependent changes in shoulder-hip coordination and upper limb variability during gait in older adults with Parkinson's disease","authors":"Maria Eduarda Parcianello Cabeleira ,&nbsp;André Ivaniski-Mello ,&nbsp;Valéria Feijó Martins ,&nbsp;Leonardo Alexandre Peyré-Tartaruga ,&nbsp;Flávia Gomes Martinez ,&nbsp;Fernanda Cechetti","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103449","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103449","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Coordination between upper and lower limbs is fundamental to human gait. Changes in this coordination are well described in Parkinson's disease (PD), but there is limited information on the upper limbs' continuous relative phase and coordination variability during walking in people with PD (PwPD), considering different phases of the gait cycle and varying walking speeds.</div></div><div><h3>Research question</h3><div>Do older adults with PD present altered upper limbs continuous relative phase (CRP) and coordination variability across the different subphases of gait cycle and walking speeds, compared to older adults without PD?</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This cross-sectional observational study included 20 older adults with PD and 10 older adults without PD. Participants underwent gait kinematic analysis using a three-dimensional motion capture system on a treadmill at 0.28 and 0.83 m/s. The mean CRP and coordination variability in shoulder-elbow and shoulder-hip pairs were calculated. Statistical analysis employed the Generalized Estimating Equations method to compare groups and evaluate group*speed interactions.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Older adults with PD exhibit distinct upper limb-hip coordination strategies as walking speed increases, especially during the final subphases of the gait cycle, compared to those without PD. Older adults with and without PD decrease variability in upper limb coordination with rising speed, and shoulder-hip segments are only affected during the push-off phase.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>These findings highlight the distinct motor coordination challenges faced by older adults with PD and underscore the importance of targeted interventions, focusing on improving shoulder-hip and arms coordination to improve gait dynamics in this population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"105 ","pages":"Article 103449"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145822085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Upper-limb coordination deficits in paraplegia during symmetrical movement tasks: Evidence from surface EMG and kinematic analysis","authors":"Yaming Liu ,&nbsp;Mianjia Shan ,&nbsp;Fengxian Wu ,&nbsp;Haixia Xie ,&nbsp;Yixin Shen ,&nbsp;Yan Qi ,&nbsp;Wenxin Niu","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103445","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103445","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Neural pathways controlling the upper limb (UL) are spared in individuals with paraplegia, but the effect of lower-body sensorimotor pathways disruption on bilateral UL coordination remains unknown. This study aims to investigate the UL coordination in paraplegia during symmetrical movements.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Fifteen paraplegic individuals and nine healthy controls underwent surface electromyography and motion capture during two types of symmetrical movements to record activity of five bilateral shoulder muscles and bilateral shoulder joint angles. A modified Procrustes analysis aligned bilateral sEMG and angle curves. Maximum correlation coefficients (<span><math><msub><mi>r</mi><mi>max</mi></msub></math></span>) and normalized symmetry index (NSI) quantified bilateral similarity and symmetry. Canonical variates analysis (CVA) further assessed group differences.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The paraplegia group showed reduced bilateral symmetry and similarity compared to the controls. Main effects of group and movement were found for both <span><math><msub><mi>r</mi><mi>max</mi></msub></math></span> of all five muscles (group, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.05; movement, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01) and NSI of shoulder joint angle in the sagittal plane (group, <em>p</em> = 0.049; movement, <em>p</em> = 0.006). Group effects (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) were observed for NSI of the middle deltoid (MD), upper trapezius, and latissimus dorsi (LD). Significant movement effects were found in <span><math><msub><mi>r</mi><mi>max</mi></msub></math></span> of shoulder joint angle in the sagittal and coronal planes (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001). CVA achieved 93.8 % and 84.2 % group classification accuracy for the two movements, with MD, triceps brachii, and LD parameters contributing most.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Individuals with paraplegia exhibit impaired UL coordination, with neuromuscular measurements being more sensitive than kinematics in detecting deficits, highlighting the need for UL coordination restoration in rehabilitation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"105 ","pages":"Article 103445"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145738185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lower visual field inputs reduce postural sway via ankle co-contraction, independent of vection","authors":"Takumi Aiko ,&nbsp;Takaki Kurogi ,&nbsp;Takashi Muchima ,&nbsp;Haruna Kumano ,&nbsp;Ayako Kawabata ,&nbsp;Daiju Kinoshita ,&nbsp;Naoya Hasegawa ,&nbsp;Norio Kato ,&nbsp;Hiroki Mani","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103446","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103446","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Optic flow stimuli in the lower visual field reduce center of pressure (COP) sway in the anteroposterior direction. The central nervous system (CNS) may adopt a stiffness control strategy in response to vection, defined as the visually induced illusion of self-motion.</div></div><div><h3>Research question</h3><div>Do visual stimuli presented in the lower visual field elicit stronger vection and promote a stiffness strategy?</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Twenty-seven healthy young adults participated in this study. Visual stimuli were presented in two field-of-view conditions (upper and lower visual fields) and three velocity conditions (slow, medium, and fast) using a head-mounted virtual reality display. The optic flow consisted of small white spheres expanding radially toward the periphery. Participants stood quietly for 70 s. Postural responses were quantified using the root mean square (RMS), mean velocity, and power spectral density (PSD) of COP, as well as the co-contraction index (CCI) of ankle muscles. Subjective vection was assessed using a visual analogue scale.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Optic flow in the lower visual field significantly reduced the RMS of COP in the anteroposterior direction and produced a more anterior COP position compared with the upper visual field condition. Additionally, PSD in the low-frequency band (0–0.3 Hz) was significantly reduced, whereas PSD in higher-frequency bands (0.3–3 Hz) and CCI were significantly increased. In contrast, vection was weaker under lower visual field stimulation.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>The CNS modulates ankle muscle co-contraction and postural orientation when optic flow is presented in the lower visual field, independently of vection strength.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"105 ","pages":"Article 103446"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145783618","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A test of the variability vs. specificity hypotheses in the retention of a motor skill","authors":"Rajiv Ranganathan,&nbsp;Simon Cone,&nbsp;Narae Shin,&nbsp;Rakshith Lokesh,&nbsp;Brian Fox","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103431","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103431","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The variability of practice hypothesis suggests that practicing with task variations enhances motor learning (<span><span>Schmidt, 1975</span></span>). However, in tasks with only a single criterion goal to be learned, the evidence that variable practice enhances retention of this criterion task compared to constant practice (i.e. practicing without task variations) is somewhat mixed. Here, we addressed this question using a registered report format. Participants (<em>n</em> = 80) learned a bimanual shuffleboard task where the goal was to slide a virtual puck toward a target, which required participants to release the puck at a specified speed. Two groups of participants were tested - the Constant group practiced with a specific criterion target location (which requires no variation in the puck speed), whereas the Variable group practiced the criterion target location along with 4 additional target locations. Pre-registered comparisons of retention after 24-h showed no evidence of significant differences between groups, with a Bayesian analysis showing support for the null hypothesis. Other exploratory analyses also showed no significant differences between groups. These results indicate that the variability of practice hypothesis may not be as universal as typically assumed but, more broadly, highlight the difficulty in using two-group experimental designs for hypothesis-testing in motor learning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"105 ","pages":"Article 103431"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145685897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating cortical activity and balance performance in Alpine skiers: An fNIRS study","authors":"Haroon Khan ,&nbsp;Paolo Victor Redondo ,&nbsp;Håvard Engell ,&nbsp;Hernando Ombao ,&nbsp;Peyman Mirtaheri","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103432","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103432","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study investigates the association between dynamic balance performance assessed by the modified hop balance test and cortical hemodynamics in young skiers during single-leg stance (SLS) and dual-leg stance (DLS), utilizing functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The study hypothesizes that SLS will enhance cortical activation than DLS due to challenging postural balance, and imbalances between right- and left-leg stances (RLS vs. LLS) will produce distinct activation patterns. The SLS and DLS were performed to understand cortical activity linked to postural control, brain areas, and lateralization’s role. Differences in the hemodynamic response across experimental conditions were formally tested under the statistical framework called the functional mixed effects model, which simultaneously captures common patterns across subjects and accounts for variations in brain functional responses across subjects. Results unveiled a notable contrast <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>p</mi><mo>≤</mo><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>0001</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span> in cortical activation between SLS and DLS, with higher cortical activation during SLS, suggesting distinct neural control mechanisms. Intriguingly, distinct cortical activation patterns were observed during both stances, including various regions in the motor cortex and associated areas. No significant differences were found in cortical hemodynamics and balance performance when comparing the left-leg stance (LLS) and right-leg stance (RLS), suggesting equal stimulation of the motor cortex. Future studies comparing skiers with non-skiers might reveal different brain activity patterns between RLS and LLS, warranting further investigation into the functional role of these activations for balance improvement and targeted interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"105 ","pages":"Article 103432"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145651742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of unilateral leg weight perturbation intensity on spatiotemporal gait parameter symmetry and lower limb muscle activity: An exploratory laboratory study in healthy adults","authors":"Tsuyoshi Motokawa ,&nbsp;Yuta Terasawa ,&nbsp;Yui Nagamori ,&nbsp;Sora Onishi ,&nbsp;Shu Morioka","doi":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103426","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.humov.2025.103426","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Walking requires precise central nervous system control. Although gait adaptation and learning have been extensively investigated, the specific conditions that elicit delayed adaptation and aftereffects remain unclear.</div></div><div><h3>Research question</h3><div>How do slow adaptation and aftereffects influence gait parameters during walking with unilateral leg weight load perturbation?</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This exploratory laboratory study involved 15 healthy adults. The participants walked on a treadmill with a weight attached to one leg under low-weight/high-speed, high-weight/low-speed, and high-weight/high-speed conditions. Each condition comprised baseline, adaptation, and de-adaptation phases. Step length symmetry, swing time ratio, lower limb flexion-extension angles, and muscle activity during walking were recorded and assessed across conditions.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Slow adaptation and aftereffects in step length symmetry and leg flexion-extension angles were observed under the high-weight/high-speed condition. An immediate increase in muscle activity was detected following weight loading, primarily on the unperturbed side. This procedure was followed by gradual bilateral adaptation and aftereffects in the gastrocnemius and rectus femoris muscles on the perturbed side. Both low-weight/high-speed and high-weight/low-speed conditions induced aftereffects in step length symmetry; however, no significant changes in leg flexion-extension angles were noted. Under the low-weight/high-speed condition, bilateral muscle activity increased immediately, followed by slow adaptation in multiple muscles and aftereffects in the perturbed gastrocnemius.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>These findings elucidate how weight and speed perturbation intensity affect the neurological mechanisms underlying gait adaptation. High-intensity perturbation engages feedforward control and promotes central nervous system adaptation. The results may guide the development of rehabilitation strategies aimed at improving gait symmetry through unilateral leg loading.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55046,"journal":{"name":"Human Movement Science","volume":"104 ","pages":"Article 103426"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145454078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}