The Throw-and-Catch Model of Human Gait: Evidence from Coupling of Pre-Step Postural Activity and Step Location

• Published in: Frontiers in human neuroscience Vol. 10; p. 635
• Main Authors: Bancroft, Matthew J., Day, Brian L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Research Foundation 22.12.2016; Frontiers Media S.A
• Subjects: Balance; Experiments; Feet; Gait; Hypotheses; Latency; Neuroscience; Neurosciences; Posture; biomechanical phenomena; gait initiation; gait; walking; locomotion; postural balance; humans; motor activity
• ISSN: 1662-5161; 1662-5161
• DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00635

Postural activity normally precedes the lift of a foot from the ground when taking a step, but its function is unclear. The throw-and-catch hypothesis of human gait proposes that the pre-step activity is organized to generate momentum for the body to fall ballistically along a specific trajectory du...