THE ENERGY COST OF HORIZONTAL AND GRADE WALKING ON THE MOTOR-DRIVEN TREADMILL

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Abstract
The energy cost of walking was studied with 2 normal young men at all combinations of speeds 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 miles/hour and grades 0, 5.0, 7.5 and 10%. In 128 measurements the replicate variability was 2.95% of the grand mean and was independent of speed and grade. The energy1 cost at 3.5 m.p.h. and 10% grade had in 47 additional subjects an inter-individual standard deviation of 9.37% of the gross O2 consumption; this was reduced to 3.99% when calculated/kg of body wt. Practice and training on the treadmill in from 2-240 daily trials in 3 different groups comprising a total of 55 [male][male] triflingly increased walking efficiency but in all cases this was less than the replicate variability. Net climbing efficiences showed maxima of 35-40% at medium speeds. This kind of calculation is discussed critically. Excess O2 consumption in recovery was related to excess energy expenditure during work, without regard to speed and grade, by a coefficient of correlation of 0.977. Similarly the avg. pulse rate in work and the excess energy expenditure during work showed correlation of 0.972. The stride length was found to be dependent on speed but practically independent of grade.

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