Physical activity and muscle activity of riding electric scooters

Physical activity is an important consideration when it comes to evaluating the overall benefits of a particular mode of transportation. E-scooters are an increasingly popular form of micromobility but have generated concern over their impacts on active transportation modes. Although the transportation impacts of e-scooters have been widely studied, the physical activity impacts of these devices are uncertain. This study investigates physical activity and muscle activation from riding an e-scooter. The authors compare those outcomes to the two most common substituted modes, driving a car and walking. In this study of 20 participants (age 21–41), the metabolic physical activity and muscle activity of riding an e-scooter were studied in a crossover experiment. The authors measure metabolic physical activity (METs) on a fixed course, that can be measured as a metabolic rate of energy expenditure, which is often described as MET-minutes (MET over a period of time). The authors measure muscle activity during a series of typical maneuvers. Driving and walking were also evaluated as a benchmark comparison. The results reveal that riding an e-scooter provides light-intensity physical activity (energy expenditure = 2.14 METs). This is a significantly greater level of energy expenditure than that measured when driving (MET = 1.42), but less than that measured when walking (MET = 3.12). Compared to level walking, e-scooter riding had higher muscle activation in arms and trunk muscles. E-scooter muscle activation was higher in all muscle groups than driving. Driving a car is a sedentary mode, e-scooters provide light physical activity, and walking provides moderate physical activity. The physical activity benefits of riding an e-scooter are maximized when people use them to replace sedentary travel such as driving. However, when e-scooters are used to replace moderate-intensity activities such as walking, net transportation-related physical activity could be reduced.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2024.101936
• Record URL:
  • http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140524001828
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/22141405
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies. Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Wen, Yi
  • Cherry, Christopher R
  • 0000-0002-8835-4617
  • Bassett, David R
  • Thorsen, Tanner
  • 0000-0002-2837-0340
  • Zhang, Songning
  • Weinhandl, Joshua T
  • 0000-0001-9881-3904
  • Brakewood, Candace
  • 0000-0003-2769-7808
• Publication Date: 2025-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References;
• Pagination: 101936
• Serial:
  • Journal of Transport & Health
  • Volume: 40
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 2214-1405
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/22141405

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Electric vehicles; Metabolism; Muscles; Nonmotorized transportation; Physiology; Scooters
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01939356
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 12 2024 4:58PM