Effect of a Bungee Tension System on Physiological and Gait Variables while Walking

Authors

Adriana F. Oviedo, Texas A&M University-San AntonioFollow
GARY Guerra, St. Mary's UniversityFollow
John D. Smith, Texas A&M University-San AntonioFollow

Abstract

Unloaded treadmill walking has shown to improve motor function, balance and locomotion ability. This type of mechanism is commonly used in rehabilitation and therapy settings and is becoming more popular. PURPOSE: To examine two different bungee attachments on oxygen consumption (VO₂), heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE Borg’s 6-20, VAS) and gait. METHODS: Participants (n=21, age=22.0±2.7 yrs, ht=66.4±2.9 in, wt=166.3±26.5 lbs) walked on a treadmill at three mph for 10 min while interfaced with an oxygen analyzer and APDM Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) gait sensors without unweighting (NU), unweighted with a intermediate tension bungee (IT), and with a high tension bungee (HT). All trials were counterbalanced. Participants were weighed on the treadmill with and without support before and after the ten-minute walk. VO₂, HR, and gait characteristics were collected for two minutes at 5 and 10 min, participants rested 5 min between trials. RPE and VAS were recorded at 10 min. Repeated measures ANOVA were used to identify differences, with Alpha set at .05. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in VO₂ (F_{(5, 15)} = 0.74, p = 0.603), RPE (F_{(2, 19)} = 1.10, p = .352), and VAS (F_{(2, 19)} = 2.83, p = .108 ) between trials. While HR was significantly different (F_{(5, 15)} = 8.17, p = 0.001), this was only between 5 and 10 min timepoints, not between trials. There was a significant difference in body weight between unloading and loading, as well as pre- and post-trials (F_{(5, 14)} = 189.9, p = .001). Terminal and double support as well as lumbar coronal ROM and trunk transverse ROM were also significantly different between loaded and unloaded conditions (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The significant increases in post body weight at 10 min, as well as gait changes in support and range of motion in the lumbar and trunk while supported by the bungees could explain why VO₂ and HR were not significantly lower with unloading. Future studies can examine how long one needs to adapt to the bungee system such that VO₂ and HR decrease, as other studies demonstrate.

Recommended Citation

Oviedo, Adriana F.; Guerra, GARY; and Smith, John D. (2026) "Effect of a Bungee Tension System on Physiological and Gait Variables while Walking," International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 2: Iss. 18, Article 174.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss18/174