Holder exponent spectra for human gait

TL;DR

This study investigates the fractal and multifractal properties of human gait stride intervals, revealing complex, non-stationary dynamics that vary with gait speed and conditions, indicating a multifractal control process.

Contribution

It is the first to analyze the Holder exponent spectra of human gait, demonstrating the multifractal nature of stride interval fluctuations across different gait speeds and conditions.

Findings

Stride intervals are more complex than monofractal.

Gait exhibits multifractal and non-stationary characteristics.

Complexity varies with gait speed and conditions.

Abstract

The stride interval time series in normal human gait is not strictly constant, but fluctuates from step to step in a complex manner. More precisely, it has been shown that the control process for human gait is a fractal random phenomenon, that is, one with a long-term memory. Herein we study the Holder exponent spectra for the slow, normal and fast gaits of 10 young healthy men in both free and metronomically triggered conditions and establish that the stride interval time series is more complex than a monofractal phenomenon. A slightly multifractal and non-stationary time series under the three different gait conditions emerges.