The results revealed that despite significant strength gains , many studies failed to show a significant improvement in walking capacity .
Strength testing and strengthening exercises were prioritized for the knee extensors and flexors , despite their relatively minor role in human walking .
Strengthening exercises performed in the neurologic population are not specific to the main muscle groups responsible for the power generation required for walking .
There is a predisposition for strength testing and strengthening exercises to focus on the knee flexors and extensors despite their relatively minor role during walking .
The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the task specificity of strength training programs for walking in neurologic rehabilitation .
Quantification of level of effort at the plantarflexors and hip extensors and flexor muscles in healthy subjects walking at different cadences.
The plantarflexor , hip extensor and hip flexor muscle groups contribute by their concentric action to generate most of the energy during level gait in healthy subjects . The goal of the present study was to determine , during the main energy generation phases , the relative dem and of these three groups in 14 healthy subjects walking at four cadences ( self-selected , 60 , 80 and 120 steps/min ) . The muscular utilization ratio ( MUR ) , that compares the net joint moment obtained during gait to the maximal potential moment ( MPM ) at each percentage of the gait cycle , was used to estimate the mechanical relative dem and . The MPM values were obtained by regression equations developed from torque data measured with a Biodex dynamometric system . The results showed that the peak MURs increased with gait cadence . The peak values were not significantly different between sides for all cadences despite mean absolute lateral differences ranging from 7 % to 10 % . The mean peak MURs of both sides ranged from 51.3 % to 62.6 % , from 20.7 % to 49.9 % and from 14.9 % to 42.5 % , for the plantarflexors , hip flexors and hip extensors , respectively . Highly significant associations were found between the MURs and net moments ( numerator of the MUR ratio ) , with Pearson coefficients ( r ) superior to 0.80 for all muscles groups . The association between the MURs and the maximal potential moments ( denominator of MUR ratio ) was lower ( 0.01<r<0.60 ) . The results of this study indicated that the mechanical relative dem and during gait increased with gait cadence . The plantarflexor MUR values were always the highest . However , when gait cadence increased , the MURs at the hip reached similar values of those of the ankle , which suggests that these muscles also work significantly at elevated gait cadences . The changes in the MUR values were mainly explained by changes in the net joint moments
The results revealed that despite significant strength gains , many studies failed to show a significant improvement in walking capacity .
Strength testing and strengthening exercises were prioritized for the knee extensors and flexors , despite their relatively minor role in human walking .
Strengthening exercises performed in the neurologic population are not specific to the main muscle groups responsible for the power generation required for walking .
There is a predisposition for strength testing and strengthening exercises to focus on the knee flexors and extensors despite their relatively minor role during walking .
The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the task specificity of strength training programs for walking in neurologic rehabilitation .