154 



METABOLISM DURING WALKING. 



TABLE 41. Number of steps and height of step-lift in walking on a level. (Values per 



minute. ) Continued . 



NUMBER OF STEPS IN HORIZONTAL WALKING. 



In adapting himself to a definite speed, the subject may either change 

 his length of stride or the number of his steps, and, in fact, he does both. 

 It is to be expected that for slower speeds there will be fewer steps, also 

 that the strides will be shorter; but even for the same speed it is seen 

 that on different days there is a change in both the number and length 

 of steps. This difference amounts in some cases to as much as 6 or 

 7 steps per minute. W. K., who was the shortest subject, shows the 

 most steps per minute for a given speed, the number of steps at a speed 

 of 67.5 meters being 10 more per minute than the number for T. H. H. 

 at the same speed and 14 more than for H. R .R., the tallest subject, 

 at approximately the same rate of walking. On the other hand, 

 E. D. B., who was shorter than H. R. R., took even fewer steps per 

 minute than the latter, as may be seen by comparing the data for 

 November 26 and December 13 for E. D. B. with those for March 20 

 and 27 for H. R. R. 



These variations make it impossible to draw any definite conclusions 

 even for the same subject. One can only say that a man, walking at 

 normal and constant speed, may unconsciously alter his gait four or 

 more steps per minute, and although the difference between individuals 

 depends in a large measure upon the length of leg of the subjects, it is 

 possible for a shorter man to take natural strides which are longer 

 than those taken by a taller individual. The number of steps repre- 

 sents to a certain degree the amount of effort exerted in walking, but 

 evidently, at least with these subjects and the rates of speed here used, 

 the number does not appear to be proportional to the energy expended. 



