Within- and between-session consistency of electromyographic temporal patterns of walking in non-disabled older adults

This study examined the inter-cycle and between-session reliability of EMG temporal patterns during walking in older adults. Twenty subjects, 50-78 years of age, walked at three speeds in two sessions. Burst duration and onset latency of the tibialis anterior, lateral gastrocnemius, vastus lateralis and biceps femoris muscles for ten gait cycles were calculated for each session. EMG patterns were consistent within and between sessions; however, slow walking generated more inter-cycle variability than self-selected or fast walking. Similar inter-cycle variability in both sessions suggests no practice effect. A single session using self-selected or fast walking may provide reliable EMG values in older adults. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.