Effects of Nordic walking on muscle activation and stride length of middle-aged women

Introduction: Walking is a popular contemporary exercise that has gradually diversified over time, and Nordic walking is a variant. Therefore, the purpose of this study was compared the changes in electromyography and gait parameters achieved through Nordic and usual walking at three stride frequencies. Method: Fourteen middle-aged women with a regular exercise habit were enrolled as participants. The participants were instructed to walk a set 14m distance three times using Nordic or usual walking depend on random. Three stride frequencies (i.e., low [88 steps/min], normal [110 steps/min], and high [132 steps/min]) frequency) were applied three times. The following muscle groups were tested: the biceps brachii and triceps brachii of the upper limb; the vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius of the lower limb. Statistical verification was conducted through a two-factor repeated measures analysis of variance (significance level α set to .05); the independent variables were walking types and stride frequency, and the dependent variables were EMG signals and gait parameters. Results: The biceps and triceps brachii experienced greater activation through Nordic walking than through usual walking ( p < .05). The upper limb muscle groups experienced the most activation at a low stride frequency, followed by a normal and high stride frequency; this trend was not observed for the lower limb muscle groups. No significant difference was identified for stride length. Conclusion: Nordic walking is a full-body physical activity that can effectively facilitate upper limb muscle activation; this effect is particularly pronounced in slow walking scenarios.