Detrended Fluctuation Analysis of Gait Cycles: A Study of Neuromuscular and Ground Force Dynamics
Gait analysis provides crucial insights into neuromuscular coordination and postural control, especially in ageing populations and rehabilitation contexts. This study investigates the complexity of muscle activation and ground reaction force patterns during gait by applying detrended fluctuation ana...
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2025-07-01
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| author | Soumya Prakash Rana Maitreyee Dey |
| author_facet | Soumya Prakash Rana Maitreyee Dey |
| author_sort | Soumya Prakash Rana |
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| description | Gait analysis provides crucial insights into neuromuscular coordination and postural control, especially in ageing populations and rehabilitation contexts. This study investigates the complexity of muscle activation and ground reaction force patterns during gait by applying detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) to electromyography (EMG) and force-sensitive resistor (FSR) signals. Data from a two-arm randomised clinical trial (RCT) supplemented with an observational control group were used in this study. Participants performed a single-task walking protocol, with EMG recorded from the tibialis anterior and lateral gastrocnemius muscles of both legs and FSR sensors placed under the feet. Gait cycles were segmented using heel-strike detection from the FSR signal, enabling analysis of individual strides. For each gait cycle, DFA was applied to quantify the long-range temporal correlations in the EMG and FSR time series. Results revealed consistent <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>α</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula>-scaling exponents across cycles, with EMG signals exhibiting moderate persistence (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>α</mi><mo>≈</mo><mn>0.85</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>–<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>0.92</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) and FSR signals showing higher persistence (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>α</mi><mo>≈</mo><mn>1.5</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>), which is indicative of stable and repeatable gait patterns. These findings support the utility of DFA as a nonlinear signal processing tool for characterising gait dynamics, offering potential markers for gait stability, motor control, and intervention effects in populations practising movement-based therapies such as Tai Chi. Future work will extend this analysis to dual-task conditions and comparative group studies. |
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| spelling | doaj-art-a2b6da4be4ff4a66b44e2ba4a81420432025-07-11T14:43:26ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-07-012513412210.3390/s25134122Detrended Fluctuation Analysis of Gait Cycles: A Study of Neuromuscular and Ground Force DynamicsSoumya Prakash Rana0Maitreyee Dey1School of Engineering, University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Central Avenue, Chatham ME4 4TB, UKSchool of Computer Science and Digital Media, London Metropolitan University, 166-220 Holloway Road, London N7 8DB, UKGait analysis provides crucial insights into neuromuscular coordination and postural control, especially in ageing populations and rehabilitation contexts. This study investigates the complexity of muscle activation and ground reaction force patterns during gait by applying detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) to electromyography (EMG) and force-sensitive resistor (FSR) signals. Data from a two-arm randomised clinical trial (RCT) supplemented with an observational control group were used in this study. Participants performed a single-task walking protocol, with EMG recorded from the tibialis anterior and lateral gastrocnemius muscles of both legs and FSR sensors placed under the feet. Gait cycles were segmented using heel-strike detection from the FSR signal, enabling analysis of individual strides. For each gait cycle, DFA was applied to quantify the long-range temporal correlations in the EMG and FSR time series. Results revealed consistent <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>α</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula>-scaling exponents across cycles, with EMG signals exhibiting moderate persistence (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>α</mi><mo>≈</mo><mn>0.85</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>–<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>0.92</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>) and FSR signals showing higher persistence (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mi>α</mi><mo>≈</mo><mn>1.5</mn></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>), which is indicative of stable and repeatable gait patterns. These findings support the utility of DFA as a nonlinear signal processing tool for characterising gait dynamics, offering potential markers for gait stability, motor control, and intervention effects in populations practising movement-based therapies such as Tai Chi. Future work will extend this analysis to dual-task conditions and comparative group studies.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/13/4122detrended fluctuation analysishuman gaitelectromyographyforce-sensitive resistorTai Chineuromuscular control |
| spellingShingle | Soumya Prakash Rana Maitreyee Dey Detrended Fluctuation Analysis of Gait Cycles: A Study of Neuromuscular and Ground Force Dynamics Sensors detrended fluctuation analysis human gait electromyography force-sensitive resistor Tai Chi neuromuscular control |
| title | Detrended Fluctuation Analysis of Gait Cycles: A Study of Neuromuscular and Ground Force Dynamics |
| title_full | Detrended Fluctuation Analysis of Gait Cycles: A Study of Neuromuscular and Ground Force Dynamics |
| title_fullStr | Detrended Fluctuation Analysis of Gait Cycles: A Study of Neuromuscular and Ground Force Dynamics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Detrended Fluctuation Analysis of Gait Cycles: A Study of Neuromuscular and Ground Force Dynamics |
| title_short | Detrended Fluctuation Analysis of Gait Cycles: A Study of Neuromuscular and Ground Force Dynamics |
| title_sort | detrended fluctuation analysis of gait cycles a study of neuromuscular and ground force dynamics |
| topic | detrended fluctuation analysis human gait electromyography force-sensitive resistor Tai Chi neuromuscular control |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/13/4122 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT soumyaprakashrana detrendedfluctuationanalysisofgaitcyclesastudyofneuromuscularandgroundforcedynamics AT maitreyeedey detrendedfluctuationanalysisofgaitcyclesastudyofneuromuscularandgroundforcedynamics |