ENERGY COST DURING WALKING AND RUNNING A SAME DISTANCE IS ASSOCIATED WITH VERTICAL OSCILLATION ON GRAVITY CENTER.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate which factors are involved in energetic cost of running and walking a same distance (2,000 meters). Eight healthy men were submitted to walking (5.5km/h) and running (11Km/h) tests, when oxygen consumption, for energy expenditure of exercise, was monitored, and images of volunteers were recorded for vertical oscillation of gravity center. Both, total oxygen consumption and estimated energetic cost were significantly higher during the running test (p<0.05) (88.66 ± 12.27 L O2, 418.88 ± 59.14 Kcal) compared to the walking one (66.31 ± 10.18 L O2, 319.61 ± 9.06 Kcal), as well as the vertical oscillation on gravity center (3.29 ± 0.42cm and 2.89 ± 0.42cm, running and walking, respectively). These findings suggest that the higher energetic cost of running may be associated with increased vertical oscillation on gravity center during running.