Stability and Energy Criteria in Healthy and Paraplegic Subject Gait

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Abstract
The functional electrical stimulation (FES) assisted gait of paraplegicpatients is inferior to that of healthy subjects. The difference can beobserved in terms of speed, upright balance, biomechanical energy consumption, andgeneration of propulsion forces in the direction of walking. The biomechanicalstructure of paraplegicsubjects is the same as that of normal ones; however, the mode of walkingdiffers significantly because of the reduced number of activated muscles andprimitive control. Thehealthy subject is utilizing a 2‐point dynamically stable gait. The paraplegicpatient is using 4‐channel FES and utilizing a 4‐point statically stablegait. We believe thatthe FES gait can be improved if converted into a semidynamically or dynamicallystable gait. The gait is considered statically stable if the center of gravity(COG) projection onthe ground (PCOG) is inside the supporting area. For a quadruped, this is onlypossible if it is utilizing a creeping crawl gait. In this paper, therelationship between PCOG andthe supporting area are discussed as a criterion for dynamic stabilityassessment. Results are shown for 3 different modes of 2‐point and 4‐pointgaits.

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