Quadrupedal Movement Training: A Brief Review and Practical Guide

Apply It! • Evidence suggests quadrupedal motor control mechanisms aid in balance and coordination during bipedal tasks. • Quadrupedal movement training provides participants with opportunities to improve total body joint stability patterns by altering the base of support and center of mass through stationary and traveling variations. • Electromyographic studies on crawling movements in adults have shown substantial muscle activity in the trunk stabilizers and other supporting muscles such as the shoulders, triceps, quadriceps, calves, and hamstrings. The center of mass location changes the pattern of muscle activation in relation to the distribution of the load. • Promising evidence suggests that quadrupedal movement training may improve joint proprioception and range of motion.