The relative changes of 3d joint work during self-paced uphill and downhill slope walking

The aim of this study was to quantify 3D hip, knee, and ankle joint work during incline and decline slope walking. While the majority of work occurred in the sagittal plane, substantial contributions were also seen in the transverse and frontal planes, especially for declines. At the hip, transverse and frontal work accounted for 46% of the total hip joint work during decline walking. This greater demand on hip ab/adductors and rotators may be related to the greater risk of falls observed when descending versus ascending.