Inefficiency of wide-based walking from the perspective of lateral center of gravity, gluteus medius muscle myoelectric activity, and cardiopulmonary parameters

[Purpose] To clarify the inefficiency of wide-based walking from kinematic and exercise physiology perspectives. [Participants and Methods] Participants consisted of 20 healthy male university students who performed treadmill walking under conditions of normal walking and wide-based walking (20-cm stride width). The lateral center of gravity movement, gluteus medius muscle myoelectric activity, oxygen uptake, minute ventilation (tidal volume, respiratory rate), heart rate, blood pressure, and rating perceived exertion just before the end of constant load exercise (4.0 km/h) were compared between the two walking conditions. [Results] All the measured parameters except for tidal volume and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher during wide-based walking than during normal walking. However, when Δ is the difference between the two conditions, no correlation was found between Δlateral center of gravity movement, Δgluteus medius muscle myoelectric activity, Δcardiopulmonary parameters, and Δrating perceived exertion. [Conclusion] Although the precise mechanisms underlying the inefficiency of wide-based walking could not be clarified, cardiopulmonary indices such as oxygen uptake were significantly higher during wide-based walking than during normal walking. This suggests that improvement of wide-based gait is warranted from a kinematic perspective and an exercise physiology perspective.