Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25300241›Full record

Trial reportGait & posture2015

Walking with wider steps increases stance phase gluteus medius activity.

Samantha N Kubinski, Christina A McQueen, Keir A Sittloh, Jesse C Dean

Abstract readClinical Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Gait & posture, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
28citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

28 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Effects of Rehabilitative Device on Parkinsonian Gait.International journal of exercise science · 2025
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Relationship between Muscle Strength and Gait Parameters in Healthy Older Women and Men.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023
    Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Samantha N KubinskiDivision of Physical Therapy, College of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States.
Christina A McQueenDivision of Physical Therapy, College of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States.
Keir A SittlohDivision of Physical Therapy, College of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States.
Jesse C DeanDivision of Physical Therapy, College of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States; Ralph H. Johnson Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC, United States. Electronic address: deaje@musc.edu.

Funding

Development of a Passive Elastic Exoskeleton for Gait RehabilitationR21HD064964 · NICHD · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI DEAN, JESSE C. · 2011 to 2012
$347k
Post-Stroke Contributors to Increased Energetic Cost and Decreased Gait StabilityIK2RX000750 · VA · RALPH H JOHNSON VA MEDICAL CENTER · PI DEAN, JESSE C. · 2012 to 2016
–
NICHD NIH HHS R21 HD064964RRD VA IK2 RX000750
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Increases in step width have been reported for several clinical populations, including older adults and stroke survivors. These populations often also exhibit decreased hip abductor strength, suggesting that walking with wider steps may be an adaptive response in order to reduce the mechanical demands on the hip abductors. The purpose of this study was to quantify the relationship between step width and gluteus medius (GM) activity during walking. Fourteen young, uninjured adults walked on a treadmill at 1.25 m/s for four step width conditions (Normal, Narrow, Medium, and Wide) while step width and stance phase GM electromyographic (EMG) activity were quantified. We also measured hip abduction torque and GM activity during maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs) at three hip angles (neutral, abducted 10°, and abducted 20°). During walking trials, GM activity was significantly (p < 0.0001) influenced by step width; compared to Normal walking, GM activity was 47% higher with Wide steps and 24% lower with Narrow steps. We also observed a weak positive correlation (r = 0.18 ± 0.14) between step width and GM activity during Normal walking, as GM activity was higher with wider steps. These results cannot be attributed to changes in GM conformation under the recording electrode, as GM activity was not influenced by hip angle during MVICs. The increased GM activity with wider steps does not support the proposal that increasing step width would be a beneficial adaptation to weakened hip abductors. A likely alternative explanation is that increased step width is a response to decreased gait balance.

Indexed as

AdultBiomechanical PhenomenaElectromyographyFemaleGaitHipHumansMaleMuscle ContractionMuscle, SkeletalReference ValuesWalkingYoung AdultBiomechanicsGluteus mediusHip abductionLocomotionStep width

Identifiers

PMID25300241
PMCPMC4268431

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.