Abstract des Autors

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an imposed external auditory constraint upon the temporal organization of walking. Ten subjects were vidotaped walking normally (N) and with instructions to couple naturally, at mid-swing, or at toe-off to a metronome beat. Based upon an analysis of variance and post hoc Scheff� tests most temporal variables were not significantly different among conditions. The duration of swing phase was significantly different between natural coupling and toe-off. The deviation from the metronome beat was significantly different between the natural coupling and both mid-swing and toe-off. Subjects generally were not successfull in achieving coupling during the latter conditions. Thigh and shank phase portraits were used to describe the system's organization to the external constraint. Verf.-Referat