The Infinity Walk: A Promising Approach to Enhancing Motor Control and
Balance - An fNIRS Study
Abstract
This study investigates the cortical activation effects of the Infinity
Walk and examines the influence of the foot’s overpronation and footwear
on motor control. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a
portable and user-friendly neuroimaging technique, was used to measure
hemodynamical changes in six individuals with non-critical pronation
degrees. Participants perform the Infinity Walk under various footwear
conditions while wearing a fNIRS portable imaging device. Results
indicate a consistent hemodynamic pattern in both hemispheres during the
Infinity Walk, with no significant differences observed across subjects
and footwear conditions in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), pre-motor area,
the supplementary motor cortex (PMA & SMC), the primary motor cortex
(PMC), and Wernicke’s area (WA). The impact of pronation and footwear on
motor control remains inconclusive due to inconsistent hemodynamic
patterns. Notably, the activation patterns in Broca’s area (BA) and the
temporal gyrus (TG) differ significantly from other brain regions. The
balanced hemodynamic responses in the bilateral hemispheres may be
attributed to the Infinity Walk’s inherent walking pattern. These
findings suggest that the Infinity Walk shows promise as a motor
rehabilitation tool, as it promotes positive hemodynamic activation and
exhibits similar activation patterns in both hemispheres.