Information about task duration influences energetic cost during split-belt adaptation and retention of walking patterns post-adaptation

Studies of locomotor adaptation have shown that adaptation can occur in short bouts and can continue for long bouts or across days. Information about task duration might influence the adaptation of gait features, given that task duration influences the time available to explore and adapt the aspects of gait that reduce energy cost. We hypothesized that information about task duration influences adaptation to split-belt walking based on two competing mechanisms: individuals anticipating a prolonged adaptation period may either (1) extend exploration of energetically suboptimal gait patterns, or (2) adapt toward a more energy-efficient pattern earlier to maintain an energetic reserve to sustain the task longer. We tested three groups: N=19 participants received minute-by-minute updates during a 10-minute adaptation duration (True group), N=19 participants received no updates during a 10-minute adaptation duration and were misled to expect a prolonged 30-minute adaptation duration (False group), and N=14 participants received one update halfway through a 10-minute adaptation duration (Control group). We measured step length asymmetry, leg work, and metabolic cost. Our results partially supported our hypothesis but did not confirm the underlying mechanisms. While step length asymmetry did not differ significantly between groups during adaptation, the True group generated a more effortful gait pattern with a greater increase in metabolic cost (p=0.002) and higher work with the leg on the slow belt (p=0.012). Additionally, the True group showed no association between step length asymmetry and metabolic cost (p=0.203), contrary to the Control (r=-0.55, p=0.043) and False groups (r=-0.51, p=0.027). Finally, we observed that the False group showed greater retention of the split-belt aftereffects than the Control and False groups (p<0.001). Thus, adapted locomotor and energetic patterns are influenced by information about task duration, indicating that Information about task duration should be controlled for, or can be manipulated to elicit different efforts during adaptation.