Energy cost of balance control during walking decreases with external stabilizer stiffness independent of walking speed

Human walking requires active neuromuscular control to ensure stability in the lateral direction, which inflicts a certain metabolic load. The magnitude of this metabolic load has previously been investigated by means of passive external lateral stabilization via spring-like cords. In the present study, we applied this method to test two hypotheses: (1) the effect of external stabilization on energy cost depends on the stiffness of the stabilizing springs, and (2) the energy cost for balance control, and consequently the effect of external stabilization on energy cost, depends on walking speed. Fourteen healthy young adults walked on a motor driven treadmill without stabilization and with stabilization with four different spring stiffnesses (between 760 and 1820 N m(-1)) at three walking speeds (70%, 100%, and 130% of preferred speed). Energy cost was calculated from breath-by-breath oxygen consumption. Gait parameters (mean and variability of step width and stride length, and variability of trunk accelerations) were calculated from kinematic data. On average external stabilization led to a decrease in energy cost of 6% (p < 0.005) as well as a decrease in step width (24%; p < 0.001), step width variability (41%; p < 0.001) and variability of medio-lateral trunk acceleration (12.5%; p < 0.005). Increasing stabilizer stiffness increased the effects on both energy cost and medio-lateral gait parameters up to a stiffness of 1260 N m(-1). Contrary to expectations, the effect of stabilization was independent of walking speed (p = 0.111). These results show that active lateral stabilization during walking involves an energetic cost, which is independent of walking speed. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.