Adaptability of Human Gait: Exploring Red Noise Auditory Stimuli and Gait Fluctuation Patterns

Using dynamical systems approaches to examine gait, it has been found that variability structure is important for understanding gait, and that stimuli can influence gait variability. The present study was performed to test for an adaptability limit and to analyze stepping strategies used for entraining gait. The study used Detrended Fluctuation Analysis to analyze gait variability, characterized by a Fractal Scaling Index (FSI), compared to auditory stimuli with FSI values between 1.00 to 1.25. Stepping strategy was analyzed through kinematics including cadence, stride time, and stride velocity, and comparing stride times to stimuli onset times. Fourteen participants completed one baseline trial and six stimuli-cued walking trials. For gait FSI, differences were found for both stimuli and sex. However, entrainment error only had differences for stimuli, and kinematic variables only showed differences between sexes. Overall, the study showed that a possible entrainment limit exists at a stimuli FSI value of 1.20.