The Relationship between Locomotive Syndrome Risk, Gait Pattern, and Standing Posture in Young Japanese Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Young people are also at risk of developing locomotive syndrome for unclear reasons. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the locomotive syndrome risk in young Japanese women and the relationship between standing posture and gait patterns. We used survey materials for physical measurements, locomotive syndrome risk tests, normal and maximum walking test, a standing posture test, and physical activity measures. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was conducted with 100 Japanese female university students. The participants were divided into two groups (high-risk and low-risk groups) based on locomotive syndrome risk tests. The high-risk group accounted for 65.0% of the total participants. The high-risk group had a significantly slower walking speed and lower walking stride length than the low-risk group during maximum walking. Additionally, this high-risk group had a more prone posture than the low-risk group. Furthermore, the low-risk group included more individuals who belonged to middle and high school athletic clubs than the high-risk group. The locomotive syndrome risk was related to the walking pattern, standing posture, and past exercise habits. Therefore, long stride length, correct standing posture, and exercise habits acquired from a young age are important measures for preventing locomotive syndrome in young adults.